The Proposal
by DarkUnderworld
Summary: *Sequel to The Proposition* Donatello's relationship with Katherine had been going well, until a series of situations strains their relationship to the breaking point. Don/OC/Raph. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Alrighty all, so this is the much anticipated ( I hope) sequel to The Proposition! (You should read The Proposition first otherwise this one won't make much sense.:)**

**This fic continues right after The Proposition's epilouge.**

**A big giant thank you goes out to Amonraphoenix for her wonderful ideas, suggestions and support, and for beta reading this chapter for me! You are awesome!**

**I hope everyone enjoys this fic, it's gonna be a bumpy ride:D**

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The Proposal

Chapter 1

**Michelangelo** looked up at Holly and smiled. '"I'll tell you what," he began at her raised brow. "You go on back to the house, I just want to check on something and then I will meet you for lunch. How does that sound?" He asked her as he rolled off of her and helped her to stand.

"Are we talking food lunch or fun lunch?" Holly asked with a mischievous smile. Michelangelo felt a blush bloom on his face since he and Holly hadn't actually gone that far into a physical relationship. They had made out a little, but hadn't taken the next step and actually seen each other naked yet, which was mostly his fault. He wanted to know that he was ready and that he was going to be more than just a summer fling for her before he took that step.

"Lunch, lunch." He said with a smile as she chuckled and gave a grin.

"Alright handsome, but don't keep me waiting too long." She said flirtatiously as she sashayed away. Michelangelo enjoyed the view for a moment, mentally kicking himself for being a romantic idiot and went in search of Donatello, Raphael and Katherine.

Something had been bothering him about those three lately and he wasn't sure why. He had his suspicions, but he had no proof as to what was going on, so he had decided to follow the trio and see what they were up to.

He turned as he heard fighting coming from down the opposite way that his brother's and Katherine had gone. He recognized the voices as Karai and Leonardo and he cringed slightly. Leo was making the best of their vacation and had even begun loosening up and having fun, but Karai was obviously not pleased about being dunked, though Michelangelo didn't see what the big deal was.

Michelangelo wondered briefly if everything was going okay between Karai and Leonardo. He knew they both had some serious trust issues. It was like they were two predators, easy within each other's company, but just waiting for the other to make a wrong move. This vacation was supposed to help them loosen up a little and Leo seemed to be trying really hard and seemed genuinely happy, but Michelangelo was unsure about Karai and her feelings.

Michelangelo shrugged. It wasn't any of his business. He wasn't emotionally involved in Leonardo's relationship. If he and Karai broke up he would feel bad for his brother, but he wouldn't miss Karai. He didn't mind her, but she still wasn't his favourite person either.

Though technically Donatello's relationship with Katherine wasn't any of his business either, but he was emotionally invested in that relationship, all of his brothers were. He wasn't really worried that something was wrong between Donatello and Katherine, they seemed good. It was Raphael that he was worried about. Specifically, he had noticed a change in his hot-headed brother and he wasn't sure what to make of it.

Michelangelo wasn't sure when he had first noticed the change, maybe about a month ago, definitely before they had come to the island and they had all been here two weeks - Except for Holly who had been on the island two weeks before they had arrived so she had been there a solid month- He hadn't really paid much attention to the change in his brother because it was really only these past two weeks that he had seen Donatello, Raphael and Katherine together so often that he had realized that something _was_ different.

The bickering that normally accompanied the three of them had ceased. Raphael was normally pretty good at only mildly teasing Donatello when Katherine was around, but when Katherine was gone it was another story completely.

He turned and ran down the beach, quickly ducking behind a large outcropping of rock when he caught up to his brothers and Katherine.

They were still walking companionably arm in arm together, voices low. But in a moment that changed. Raphael swung Katherine up in his arms and tossed her into the surf just as Leonardo had with Karai. Only this time a scrap of white fabric floated to the surface before Katherine did.

Katherine's head broke the surface of the water a moment later. She snagged her bikini top as she stood up.

Michelangelo averted his eyes as Katherine stood in the surf tying the bikini back up. He could hear Raphael's apologies, but neither Donatello or Katherine said a word, at least not until she finished tying her bikini back on.

Michelangelo looked back at the scene just as Katherine bent over and begun searching for something at her feet. She straightened with a glob of sandy, seaweed filled silt in her hand. Raphael shook his head taking a step backwards and putting his hands up in surrender. Katherine threw the gunk hitting Raphael straight in the center of his plastron. Raphael looked down at his chest in disgust as another glob hit him in the side of the head.

"Hey!" Raphael protested. "It was an..." Raphael ducked as another glob flew by his head. "Accident!" He yelled as he backed up another step.

Katherine picked up another glob of gunk and threw it as she waded out from the surf. She reached down and picked up a pile of wet sand from the beach and looked at it, a wide devilish grin breaking over her face. She picked up something from the sand. "Big, disgusting tropical beetle." She said picking up the squirming water insect.

"No." Raphael said shaking his head back and forth desperately. "You wouldn't d..." Raphael didn't get to finish the sentence as Katherine took off after Raphael who bolted.

Donatello threw back his head and laughed. "She's gaining on you Raph!" He shouted at their brother's retreating shell, Katherine closing in on Raphael's heels.

Michelangelo grinned as he stepped out from behind his hiding spot, approaching Donatello and clapping him on the back.

Donatello jumped, moving automatically sliding moving to take a defensive position before relaxing when he realized it was just Michelangelo. Donatello grinned. "Hey Mikey, where's Holly?" He asked.

"Back at the mansion. We're having lunch in a minute, just wanted to check on you three love birds." Mikey said impishly with a huge knowing smile on his face.

Donatello frowned in confusion then as Michelangelo grinned more broadly. "You think she'll catch him?" Michelangelo asked casually.

Donatello shrugged. "Not unless Raph wants to be caught. Raph has more stamina than Katherine does, she's not much of a runner." He said with a smile.

"You think Raph will want to be caught?" Mikey asked with curiosity.

"Depends how much he thinks she will dump that bug on him." Donatello said with a chuckle.

"You think she'll throw the bug at him?" Mikey questioned.

Donatello shook his head. "No, she wouldn't do that to him. She knows that his fear is completely irrational, but she would never make him experience his fear unless he was a willing participant."

"Does Raph know that?" Michelangelo asked, his one eye ridge raised in question.

Donatello shrugged. "Probably, but he did dump her in the water and made her lose her top, so he probably isn't sure."

"Well it isn't like she flashed him anything he hasn't seen before." Michelangelo pointed out reasonably.

Donatello seemed to pause for a moment before nodding. "True." He agreed. "Well, I'm just glad that you and Raph and Kitten got things all figured out."

Donatello frowned but gave a nod of acknowledgement as Michelangelo continued.

"I never thought that Raph would agree to share Kitten with you, but I think it's a great idea." Michelangelo said with a self satisfied smile, proud at figuring out what was going on with his brothers and Katherine.

"Wh...what!" His brother stammered in shock, a dark blush spreading across his cheeks.

Michelangelo chuckled. "Hey, I don't judge. If you guys found something that works for all three of you, I think that 's great. Raph's happier than I think I have ever seen him and Kitten finally seems really happy as well. You and Raph have stopped bickering which is a relief cause it was really weird having you two at daggers drawn all the time."

"Mikey...I...We..." Donatello began with a shake of his head.

"It's okay Donny, you don't have to try to deny your guy's relationship to me, like I said I'm not judging, but if you want to keep it from everyone else you had better tell Raph to quit being so touchy-feely with Kitten. It's kind of obvious that Raph and her are lovers again." Michelangelo said with another clap on Donatello's shoulder. "And don't worry I won't tell Leo, he's kind of a prude and might not agree with your guy's relationship." He said to his brother's shocked face. "Anyway, I'm heading back up to the house for some lunch. When you guys are done doing whatever it is you are doing, I'll see you up there. After all, looks like Kitten and Raph might be a while." Michelangelo said giving his brother a knowing wink as he looked down the beach where Raphael and Katherine were obstructed from their view by another outcropping of rock and bushes.

Donatello followed his gaze, taking a step forward before stopping.

"If you want to get in on the fun, you'd better hurry." Michelangelo said with a chuckle. "If you two do that sort of thing." He finished leaving his brother in stunned silence as he walked back to the house.

He was hungry, and not just for food. Thinking of Raph making love to Katherine on the beach had gotten Michelangelo a little hot under his own collar. Not that he would be able to satisfy this particular hunger at the moment, but Michelangelo was hoping that he and Holly would be able to during their trip to Comic Con. They would both be sharing a room and he felt that he wouldn't be as shy about getting naked in front of Holly at the convention for some reason. After all, he wasn't human beneath his pants and he was afraid that she would reject him for some strange reason.

He pushed these thoughts aside as he happily contemplated going to Comic Con the day after tomorrow.

* * *

**Donatello** stared after Michelangelo's retreating shell in disbelief. When his brother had told him that he thought he and Raphael were sharing Katherine he had been so shocked that he hadn't even known what to say. He had felt a blush creep up his face in embarrassment at the thought of sharing Katherine with Raphael. He had tried to deny his brother's observation but Michelangelo had talked right over his stammered protests.

He had been about to set the record straight when Michelangelo caught him off guard by saying that it was obvious that Katherine and Raphael were still lovers. Donatello's mind had gone blank at the idea and he was flooded with a sickening feeling of betrayal.

He had looked down the beach where Raphael and Katherine had disappeared and he took a step in their direction, not even able to hear Michelangelo's words over the sound of the blood rushing through his ears.

Michelangelo had clapped a hand on his back and walked away.

Donatello felt himself go numb as he was wracked with indecision. _Do I go and confront Raphael and Katherine and accuse them of going behind my back? Or do I pretend that I don't know anything is going on?_ He wondered to himself in despair. _Or is there anything even going on?_ He questioned.

He tried to push his confused emotions aside and think about the situation logically. He began to pick apart Michelangelo's observations which had led him to the conclusion that Donatello and Raphael were sharing Katherine. The first was that he and Raphael had stopped bickering- which was true- but the reason they had stopped bickering was because Donatello had stopped rising to all of the baited remarks and casual digs. Raphael had gotten bored and stopped trying to get under his skin. That was his theory anyway, though he did have a sneaking suspicion that Katherine may have had a private word or two with Raphael as well.

And because he and Raphael had stopped bickering and fighting, and since Raphael forced his company on Katherine and himself more times than they wanted, Donatello had finally decided to just make the best of it.

Donatello loved all of his brothers, but he and Raphael had never really had any common interests or anything to really talk about. They bonded occasionally when Donatello would fix Raphael's bike and Raphael would try to learn to do it himself, but other than that they had nothing much in common personality wise. But to Donatello's surprise he had found that Raphael was interested in more than just sports and breaking heads. Not much more than that, but Raphael had apparently taken an interest in anything Katherine was interested in, and so the three of them tended to get into lively discussions on random topics and thoughts.

In fact just before Raphael had thrown Katherine into the ocean they had been debating which was better to possess; street smarts or academic smarts. Raphael had voted street smarts of course, while Donatello had voted academic smarts and Katherine had been stuck in the middle undecided. They had been trying to get her to vote one way or the other and she had refused, saying that she was enjoying hearing both sides of the argument. That is when Raphael had decided to dunk her, just for fun. So all of this explained why they were so often in each other's company.

As for Raphael being happy, Donatello couldn't deny that his brother was happy and content. The reason for this change Donatello wasn't sure, but Michelangelo's words that Katherine had been unhappy stung. Donatello hadn't noticed any great change in her behaviour and he hadn't noticed any outward sign of unhappiness.

Michelangelo's final observation, that Raphael and Katherine were lovers again cut him to the quick. _Had Raphael been overly touchy-feely with Katherine?_ Donatello wondered. He tried to think if they had been and came to the conclusion that Raphael and Katherine did seem overly close with each other. He couldn't deny that there were times when there was a fleeting touch, a soft look exchanged, a hug that lasted overly long and quiet discussions where their heads would be together in earnest conversation.

Donatello felt a black hole of despair swallow him whole as he cursed himself for being so blind.

He looked back down the beach to where Katherine and Raphael had gone. He had no doubt that his brother and girlfriend were stealing a few moments of private time, possibly, as Michelangelo hinted, a quick sex romp on the beach.

He felt tears of betrayal prick his eyes, and quickly dashed them away as he saw Katherine appear from around the outcropping of rock she had vanished behind earlier.

He didn't see Raphael following her but she was brushing sand off of her arms and the back of her legs and back as she walked towards him.

A lump of misery formed in his throat as he tried to paste a smile on his face.

"Hey." Katherine said with a smile as she wiped a fine layer of sweat from her brow. "I thought you would have gone back to the house." She said as she brushed more sand from her back and hips. "I tripped and fell over my own feet." She said in explanation of her sand crusted body. Donatello just nodded his head numbly. "Are you okay?" She asked him as he continued to say nothing.

Donatello swallowed, finally managing to open his mouth enough that a few words tumbled from his lips. "Did you catch him?" He asked in a wavering voice.

Katherine gave him an odd look but shook her head. "He slowed down for a bit then took off. I did a nosedive right after that, so I headed back here expecting you to have gone back up to the house since I saw that Michelangelo had come down. I thought he was grabbing you for lunch."

Donatello was momentarily surprised that she had known that Michelangelo had shown up, but it was possible that she had glanced back as she chased Raphael and saw Michelangelo talking with him. "He was heading back to the house for lunch." He managed to say softly.

"Well, let's go then. I am starving." She said as she pulled on his arm, but he remained rooted to the spot.

Katherine lost her smile and looked at him searchingly. "Okay, what happened between me chasing Raphael down the beach and me walking back here?" She asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. His eyes strayed to her breasts for a moment before moving to look into her annoyed, moss green eyes.

Donatello wasn't sure how to answer her question. He didn't have any proof that Katherine was cheating on him with his brother yet, just a few observations and some circumstantial evidence. If he accused her now and she wasn't cheating on him, he knew he would lose her. If she was cheating on him he needed to be able to go to her and his brother with actual proof of their infidelity.

"Are you happy?" He heard himself ask her quietly.

His question surprised her, her eyebrows lifting in shock. They quickly lowered and she tilted her head to the side in silent contemplation of his question. She stepped towards him and lightly touched his cheek. "Of course I am." She answered, "Are you?" She asked, her green eyes looking at him in worry. Then her eyes widened in understanding. "You're worried about Leonardo and Karai aren't you?" She asked him. Donatello felt his own eyes widen in surprise as Katherine touched his shoulder gently. "Don't worry Donatello; I think this vacation has been good for both them. It's given them a change of scenery and Leonardo seems to actually be letting go enough to have some fun." She said with a playful smile.

Donatello nodded slightly. Truthfully he hadn't noticed anything wrong with Leonardo and Karai's relationship. They seemed fine to him. Donatello let himself be led towards the house as his jumbled thoughts swirled around in his head.

They were silent during thier walk up to the house and as they approached the front door he looked over at Katherine. She looked at him and smiled as she opened the front door and entered the house. _She was innocent until proven guilty and so was his brother. _He thought to himself. _They deserved that much_.

They found Raphael already in the kitchen shoving a sandwich into his mouth and talking with Michelangelo and Holly between bites.

Donatello looked at Raphael who grinned back at him. "Hey Kitten you're gonna have ta start working out way more if you wanna keep up with me." Raphael said with a wink as Donatello thought he detected Raphael's eyes raking down Katherine's body appreciatively with hungry eyes.

Donatello felt his fists clench together in jealous anger.

Katherine chuckled. "Raphael, exercise for me, is more of a spectator sport." She said as she walked to the table and leaned over Raphael and sandwich from the tray that Holly offered her, smiling at Raphael in what Donatello thought could be a little too warmly.

"How do you figure that Kit?" Her cousin asked in confusion and then her brow cleared. "I gotcha, men flexing and sweating and being all manly and testosterone filled. It's hot, I get that." She said with a laugh.

"Something like that." Katherine said as she caught Donatello's eyes and gave him a hungry look which never failed to get his blood flowing to all the right places. Which meant that even though he was extremely confused and upset at the moment, he still found himself stirring at the heated look she gave him.

Donatello sighed and sat down at the table beside Raphael, wondering if he could discover any guilt in his brother's expression and body language. "You not hungry Donny?" Raphael asked him.

"Not really." He admitted as his brother shrugged and shoved another sandwich into his mouth.

Karai and Leonardo walked in at that moment. Leonardo gave a strained smile and Karai just waved as she walked through the kitchen.

Katherine finished eating her sandwich. "Come on Holly, we'd better make sure that everything is packed and that everything gets closed up and brought in since we are leaving the day after tomorrow."

Holly sighed. "Kit, that's what the servants are for." Holly pointed out with a resigned sigh as she gave Michelangelo a passionate kiss, her hand running down Michelangelo's plastron in a gentle caress before letting him go and walking towards the door to where Katherine was waiting.

"Holly, do you see any servants here? And besides you don't have servants, and neither do I. We have to do this because right now, there is no one else who will." Katherine pointed out. "In fact, doing some cleaning may be good experience for you. I have seen your dorm room and I am surprised you can even manage to find anything let alone walk through your room." Katherine said as the two women walked out the door.

Holly was right though. The mansion was usually full of staff that looked after the day to day running of the house and grounds, but Katherine had sent them all away before they had landed, leaving Holly since she had wanted to meet her cousin's boyfriend. Katherine had agreed but had warned Holly ahead of time. Holly's reaction had been priceless. Her mouth had fallen open in shock, but she had recovered rather quickly and seemed to prefer hanging around Michelangelo. Holly and Michelangelo had only been dating a little over a week, but they were definitely in the puppy dog love stage.

Donatello looked at Michelangelo who had a lovesick look on his face and wondered if he had ever had that look and concluded he hadn't, because he had been too busy feeling guilty for being with Raphael's ex-girlfriend.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the kitchen. Raphael opened his mouth and Leonardo glared at him. "I don't want to talk about it Raph." Leonardo snapped.

Raphael snapped his mouth shut and then smiled. "Someone needs to get laid." Raphael observed with a smug grin, his amber eyes dancing mischievously.

Leonardo growled low in his throat. "My sex life is none of your business, Raphael."

"Hey I'm just sayin' the best part of fightin' is the make-up sex, right Donny." Raphael said with a knowing wink, his smile growing broader.

Donatello felt a blush steal over his cheeks as Michelangelo gave Donatello a supposedly knowing grin as well. He couldn't tell Michelangelo now that he and Raphael were not sharing Katherine because then Michelangelo would jump to the same conclusion he had, which was that Katherine was cheating on Donatello with Raphael, and he didn't want Michelangelo to think that unless it was absolutely true.

Instead Donatello just shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't know, Katherine and I don't fight."

Raphael's eye ridges rose in surprise but it was Leonardo who asked in shock. "Never?"

Donatello shook his head, because there was nothing he and Katherine ever fought about. That isn't saying that they didn't get mad at one another or have a difference of opinion, but whenever this happened it was discussed in a calm and rational manner and was resolved.

"That ain't healthy bro." Michelangelo said as he took a swig of pop. "Couples are supposed to fight, it gets everything into the open, not fighting is just...well... weird."

Donatello shrugged again. "Katherine's not a fighter. Raph and Katherine never fought either." He pointed out.

"Me and Kitten used to fight, more than you'd think, we still do. Just because she isn't yelling at you doesn't mean she isn't _yelling_ at you Donny." Raphael said with a wink and a salute of his can of pop.

Michelangelo watched this exchange and sniggered.

Donatello felt himself frown, but nodded slowly as he realized that Raphael was right. Just because she was perfectly calm when she was talking about whatever was bothering her didn't mean that she still wasn't furious. His frowned deepened then when he began to wonder what it was that Katherine and Raphael still fought about.

The sick feeling that had been rolling around in his stomach worsened as he looked at Raphael's cocky, self-satisfied, smug grin. Donatello's fingers dug into the palms of his hands as jealous anger coursed through his veins. He knew that Raphael and Katherine would always have history. They had dated for a little longer than he and Katherine had so far and he knew they would always have that connection. They were both each other's first loves and first lovers, it wasn't something he could erase, but he just hoped that the seed of doubt that had been planted in his mind about their current relationship would bear no fruit.

Raphael stood then and placed his can of pop down on the table. "Well as much fun as this is ladies, I'm going to go help the girls out with the heavy lifting."

Donatello hastily stood, his chair nearly toppling over in his rush to stand. "I'll come too." He said quickly as Raphael gave him an odd look and then shrugged casually.

"Suit yourself." Raphael said as he opened the rear kitchen door to go out to the patio where they could see the two women cleaning up.

Donatello walked past Michelangelo's widely ginning face and he restrained a groan. He decided that he had to tell Michelangelo what was going on eventually, because he couldn't take the next however long, of Michelangelo thinking he had figured out this big secret, when he really hadn't.

Donatello follwoed Raphael out into the bright sunshine, walking towards they Holly and Katherine. Katherine quickly pulled Donatello away a little bit from Holly and Raphael. "So?" She asked him.

"Um...what?" He asked in confusion.

"What is going on with Karai and Leonardo?" She pressed him curiously.

"I don't know." Donatello replied truthfully.

Katherine sighed. "I dragged Holly away so that you four could have a little brotherly talk with Leonardo and you wasted the opportunity." She shook her head. "Men."

"It isn't really any of our business." Donatello pointed out.

"Of course it is." Katherine said. "After all he is your brother and you love him, therefore if he gets hurt it is your business because you are going to have to be the one to pick up the pieces if things go south."

Donatello blinked down at Katherine and conceded that she had a point. "I'm not going to ask him if he doesn't want to talk about it." Donatello told her.

Katherine sighed. "If only men didn't bottle everything up inside and just spilled, things would be so much easier." She said pointedly before turning away and helping Holly fold up the umbrellas that were scattered around the patio/in-ground pool area.

Donatello blinked at her in surprise getting the feeling that she knew that there was something bothering him that had nothing to do with Leonardo and Karai.

For the next couple hours they worked on dragging in the patio chairs, the boats and the sea-doos; anything that needed to be stored inside. Donatello was able to observe Katherine and Raphael for a little bit but he wasn't able to catch anything in their interactions to give him any suspicions of anything. By late afternoon Raphael complained of a headache. He talked softly with Katherine for a few moments before going inside the mansion to find a bottle of Tylenol, but Raphael never returned.

Donatello watched to see if Katherine was going to follow Raphael into the house, but she didn't seem in any rush to go anywhere.

Donatello felt the knot of uneasiness and suspicion loosen enough that by evening he had begun to relax and think that his suspicions and Michelangelo's were completely unfounded.

* * *

**Donatello** stared down the hallway at Raphael's door. Raphael hadn't come down for dinner and Michelangelo had informed them that their hot-headed brother was sleeping. Donatello opened the door to his and Katherine's room and slipped inside.

Katherine walked out of the adjoining bathroom, freshly showered with her thin nightgown tauntingly clinging to her curves.

Donatello hungrily watched her approach him. She raised a delicate brow at him. "Are you going to tell me what is wrong?" She asked him.

He reached out and brushed a thumb across her tanned cheek. "Mikey said something to me and I took it the wrong way." He told her as he pulled her close, plastering her body against his own.

"Mmm?" She managed to question as he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss. He scooped her up in his arms and threw her down on the bed not allowing her a chance to question him further as he quickly began peeling her nightgown from her body and his own clothing and making her moan in ecstasy as he caressed her velvety skin before making, hot passionate love to her.

Afterwards Donatello realized that Raphael was right. Make-up sex was amazing, even if Katherine didn't really understand what had been wrong with him. Donatello blissfully closed his eyes and fell into a sound slumber.

He woke up several hours later not sure what had woken him up. He looked over at the bedside table and the clock which read 3:00am.

He groaned rolling over and reaching out for Katherine's warm body and discovered nothing but cold, empty bed sheets. Donatello frowned as he sat up and searched the room. He briefly wondered if Katherine had gone to the bathroom but his eyes fell upon the darkened room and Donatello knew that Katherine was no longer in the room.

* * *

**bum bum buuuummmm**

**So what did everyone think? **

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome!:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**As always a big giant thank you to Amonrapheonix for her amazing job at beta reading this chapter, and for letting me pick her brain for her medical knowledge and ideas! You are awesome as always!**

**also a big thanks to my reviewers I love Kittens too, mela989898, moonie016 and leradomi!**

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Chapter 2

**Donatello** closed his eyes and with a sinking heart, slowly slid from the bed and made his way to the bedroom door. His fingers grasped the cool metal of the door handle and slowly turned the knob, sticking his head out and searching the hallway, while listening intently for any noises. He could hear the soft murmur of voices coming from the right, across and down the hall; Raphael's room.

He stepped into the hallway on shaking legs and walked with silent, leaden feet towards Raphael's bedroom door.

He put his ear against the smooth, cool surface of the wooden door and listened to Katherine's and Raphael's hushed voices coming from the other side. He couldn't hear what was being said, but Donatello was certain that he heard his name mentioned a few times.

He slowly turned the knob and found it to be surprisingly unlocked. He carefully slid the door open, steeling himself for what he was going to find behind the closed door.

The door moved soundlessly open, allowing the soft light from the hall to spill across the two figures on the bed.

Katherine was sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to the door, beside her was Raphael, who was lying down on his side. Katherine was dressed only in one of Raphael's t-shirts, her hair still damp from a recent shower, the light reflecting off of a bare, tanned leg.

Donatello felt tears sting his eyes and a lump of betrayal lodge in his throat as blinding anger tore through his shaking body. He took a step into the room his fists clenched together in white knuckled fury.

Katharine looked over her shoulder at him and her body sagged with relief. Her expression confused him for a moment before he realized she was probably relieved that she and Raphael had finally gotten caught in the act.

"Donny, go away." Raphael's voice growled, cracking in irritation.

"Raphael..." Katherine began warningly to his brother, but Donatello interrupted whatever she was going to say to his brother. Donatello ignored his brother for the moment because he couldn't deal with him. He had too many emotions rolling around within him and if he confronted Raphael at the moment, he wouldn't be able to speak, and instead, would try to beat his brother into a bloody pulp.

So instead Donatello focused all of his pain and hurt upon Katherine. "When I woke up you were gone." He managed to say to her through the lump of betrayal that blocked his throat, his voice surprisingly steady and calm.

She opened her mouth to reply but he talked over her, not wanting to hear her excuses. If she had wanted Raphael so badly all she had to do was break up with Donatello, she didn't have to go sneaking around behind his back, he would have understood. It would have broken his heart into a million pieces, but at least he wouldn't be drowning in the black wave of betrayal and agony that he was swimming in at the moment. "So that's how it is, you and Raph? I get it." He said softly his eyes boring into hers.

Katherine continued to look at him in baffled confusion as she slowly began to stand, her body having blocked Raphael's face from his view, when suddenly she stopped reached down and grabbed a bucket that was sitting beside the bed. Raphael rolled over slightly and heaved into the bucket she held up for him while she gently rubbed the skin between his carapace and neck in comforting circles.

The smell of bile and stomach acid drifted through the air and he had to cover his mouth to stop his own sudden urge to vomit.

His anger turned slightly towards worry as the poor light illuminated his brother's face, which was pale and beaded with sweat.

He looked at Katherine, who looked back at him with cool, blank eyes.

"I need some cold cloths," Donatello said as she nodded and stood, walking towards the bathroom. "And some ice from the kitchen." He shouted at her as he took up her spot beside Raphael.

He reached out and touched his brother's forehead which was burning under his cool touch. They tended to run colder that human's and Raphael would be feverish for a human.

He looked into his brother's sweat beaded face and glared at him, the anger and betrayal he felt towards his brother overwhelming him. "Damn it, Raph!" He hissed as he began to strip the soaked sheets from his brother's body. His brother was clothed in nothing but a pair of sweats pants and covered in sweat.

"Go away, Donny." Raphael managed to slur out. "I'm fine." He said trying to sit up. "Tried...Tried to tell Kitten to...to...not to get you." Raphael stuttered out with a shake of his head.

Donatello firmly stomped down the new wave of anger that assaulted him at his brother's words. Of course his brother wouldn't want him here. If Katherine had come to get him then Donatello would find out about their affair.

Donatello attempted to take a deep calming breath, and found that it didn't help him one bit. "You may be sleeping with my girlfriend, Raphael " he began his voice shaking slightly with betrayal. "But I'm still this family's doctor, and I will help you get better, but I don't think I can ever forgive you for what you've done. After this I am done with you. You are no longer my brother, so I hope she was worth it." He ground out spitefully through clenched teeth and a jaw that was so tense that he was surprised that he was even able to speak clearly.

Donatello heard the door to Raphael's room close at his words and he realized that Katherine had paused at the door and had heard what he had said to Raphael. _Good._ He thought viciously to himself as his tried to rein in his anger.

"Donny stop...stop talkin'." Raphael whispered as he winced and clutched at his head in pain. "I...I."

"Save your excuses, Raph. I don't want to hear them." He snapped out angrily.

Donatello heard the door open and knew that Katherine had just walked back into the room. Donatello found that he couldn't even bear look at her. It hurt too much. Her betrayal cut too deeply. He fought back his tears and closed his eyes briefly hoping she would just go away.

Cold towels were suddenly and unceremoniously dumped onto his lap. His eyes snapped open and he glanced up in surprise, encountering Katherine's furious, light green gaze. If Michelangelo's 'Katherine alert meter' was anything to go by, she was sitting at Defcon 1. Though her eyes were leaning towards a light blue, which meant that she was holding back her tears. In the nearly three years that he had known Katherine, he had never seen her cry...ever. This did not mean that she wouldn't be close to tears on occasion, but being close to tears tended to make her angry, which stopped any tears from ever gracing her soft, velvety cheeks.

"Here." She snapped angrily. "And here is a thermometer." She roughly handed him the thermometer. "I already gave him Tylenol but he just puked it up. He can't keep anything down including ginger ale." She informed him coldly.

Donatello nodded his head as he took his brother's temperature and saw that his fever was sitting at 102˚. He frowned in worry. He arranged the towels around his brother as well as the ice and knew that he was going to have to remove the ice in about 20 minutes or else his brother could go into shock.

Katherine helped him and then disappeared into the bathroom again. He glanced at Raphael who finally seemed to have fallen asleep. He looked towards the bathroom door as Katherine emerged carrying her clothes bundled into a ball in her hands.

Donatello took a shaky breath, and with tears stinging his eyes went to stand, but Katherine dropped her clothing in his lap. The stench and wetness of vomit rose from her clothing and he looked up into her angry green eyes in shock.

Her voice was low and steady but filled with barely controlled rage."About an hour ago I woke up because I heard a strange thump. I investigated and found Raphael had crawled halfway to the bathroom. I tried to help him the rest of the way but we didn't make it before he lost his lunch. He got all my clothing and my hair. I managed to get him back to bed. I grabbed a T-shirt and washed my hair in the sink not wanting to drip vomit all over the place. I then grabbed a bucket, some Tylenol and some ginger ale, but he didn't hold any of it down for long. I tried giving him some water and that didn't work either. I was trying to convince him that he needed to let me go get you because he was really sick and that is when you walked in." She said, her voice clipped and precise as she turned and walked to the bedroom door. She paused with her hand on the door handle and looked at him over her shoulder.

"And if you think we went for a nice little sex romp yesterday, when I was chasing Raphael down the beach, you can talk to Leonardo and Karai, who saw me fall flat on my face. Raphael had already passed by them and was long gone by then. Leonardo helped me to my feet and I brushed the sand off as best as I could but couldn't get the sand off my back, so I turned around and started walked back to where I had left you, thinking that you may have already gone up to the house. I heard Karai starting to fight with Leonardo and I thought that you had heard them, which is why I had asked about it when you seemed bothered by something. When I mentioned it I knew that you weren't worried about that and waited for you to talk to me instead, but you never did, and by this evening you seemed fine. But I guess you weren't fine, were you?" She asked rhetorically as she opened the door and walked out into the hall.

Donatello felt all of the blood drain from his face as shame and horror rose up like a black wave to wash over him. He leapt to his feet, her clothing falling into a pile at his feet as he desperately ran after her, determined to apologize.

He grabbed her arm halting her progress.

"Don't touch me." She hissed as she yanked her arm away from him. She turned and looked at him, her face full of anger, but beneath that anger was hurt.

He opened his mouth to apologize to her, but she closed her eyes, shook her head, and turned to walk away again. He snatched at her arm again. "Katherine..." He pleaded desperately, wanting to beg her forgiveness and fix the damage that he had created with his baseless accusation.

She pulled her arm away again. "I don't know which is worse Donatello, the fact that you thought that I was capable of cheating on you with your own brother; or you believing that Raphael would be capable of doing such a thing to you." She said bitingly.

Donatello flinched at the truth of her words.

"If I wanted to be with Raphael, the logical thing to do would be to break up with you and be with Raphael. It is by far the less messy option and it would not destroy my relationship and his with your entire family." She said in a soft, hushed voiced laced with wounded rage.

He opened his mouth but no words formed on his tongue. He couldn't explain his assumptions or beg forgiveness for them because he hadn't understood what had come over him. She turned and walked away then and he realized that she was walking away, possibly for good. The woman he loved was walking away from him because he had accused her of something that she hadn't done, and he needed to apologize; fall down on his knees and beg her to forgive him and for her not to leave him.

He felt himself moving to catch up with her. He caught her just as she was about to walk into their shared bedroom.

"Just let me explain." He begged, grabbing her arm again desperately. She halted her progress but didn't turn to look at him, instead she stared intently at her hand which was clutched in a white knuckled grip around the door knob.

"Donatello," she began softly in a voice that trembled with too many mixed emotions. "I need to walk away from you right now, because I am too angry to discuss this, and I don't want to say or do something I may regret later." She said as she stared at the door in front of her, her back rigid as she waited for his reply.

Donatello felt his skin grow cold as he realized that she wasn't going to fight with him. She was just going to run away instead of staying to confront the problem that needed to be discussed right now. He dropped her arm as dark thoughts assailed him. "_You fight with Raph. If I was Raph, you'd stay and fight with me_." His voice came out sounding oddly petulant. He blinked in horror as he realized that the thoughts that had crowded his mind had slipped out of his mouth. He looked at Katherine's back in dismay.

Her whole body tensed as her head snapped up. She slowly turned to face him, her eyes nearly white with rage. If light green with dark flecks of brown had been Defcon1, then Donatello was now staring into the very depths of a nuclear explosion.

Donatello swallowed and took an instinctive step backwards as she took a step towards him. "You want me to fight with you like I do with Raphael, then fine." She said, her voice containing all the warmth of a dead sun. She poked him hard in the center of his plastron. "You are being a total and complete ass. You just accused me of cheating on you with your brother and I am so pissed off right now I can barely think straight. So I want you to think about how you effed this whole thing up and when I can bear to be near you again without wanting to punch you in the face, I will talk with you. Until then I don't even want to see you, let alone talk to you." With that she turned, opened the bedroom door and paused. "Saying 'I'm sorry' is not going to make this right Donatello, and to be honest, I don't know if anything can." She said as she slipped into the room closing the door quietly but firmly in his face, the click of the lock turning into place was like death knell that shook him down to his very bones.

Donatello stared at the wooden door for a moment before making his way numbly back to Raphael's room. He pulled up a chair beside his brother's bedside and fell heavily into it. He looked at Raphael's sweat drenched face as he quietly panted. Donatello swallowed roughly and felt a black hole of despair swallow him up completely.

He rubbed his hands down his face and resisted the urge to cry. Unfortunately he knew that he deserved Katherine's wrath at the moment. He deserved to feel as if he had just broken the best thing he had in his life and there was a possibility that he wouldn't be able to fix it. Katherine was right, he 'effed up', as she so eloquently put it. Big time.

He had tried and convicted both her and Raphael without bothering to look at all of the evidence before him; or as Katherine helpfully pointed out, just talked to her. If he had just told her what Michelangelo had said then they could have begun an honest discussion and then none of this would have happened. Instead, he had probably just lost the woman he loved because he let his jealousy get the better of him.

He felt a tear roll down his cheek which he quickly brushed away. He turned and studied his brother's sleeping face, wondering if Raphael had felt the same crushing, suffocating guilt and regret that he was feeling at the moment; and _knew_ that his brother had. In fact, Donatello knew that his brother had felt this and more, because his brother _had_ lost Katherine. Donatello hadn't...yet.

Donatello had always known that Katherine still loved Raphael on some level, but she had told Raphael that she loved Donatello more. But Donatello had never asked her _why_ she loved him more.

Donatello thought for a few moments and came to the conclusion that he had some very obvious and deep seeded insecurities that he hadn't even realize that he possessed. _Did she only love me more because I wasn't the one who had punched her across the face and scarred her cheek?_ He wondered bleakly to himself.

Raphael thrashed slightly in his sleep and Donatello turned his attention to his ill brother. He removed the ice from Raphael's body and miserably realized that he had done almost exactly the same thing that Raphael had. Raphael had accused Leonardo of trying to steal Katherine away from him, which meant that Donatello had done even worse by actually accusing Katherine of cheating on him with Raphael.

Donatello slumped back into his chair and put his head in his hands. He tried to push his emotions away and look at the situation logically. Katherine was angry -very, very angry- but she hadn't outright broken up with him either, so that was promising. Unfortunately Donatello knew Katherine well enough to know that she was probably sitting in their room sifting through her feelings and reviewing his actions, deciding on whether there were more ticks in 'Pro' column or the 'Con' one.

Donatello leaned forward in his chair. "I messed up Raph. I messed up really, really bad, and I'm sorry for what I said. I just hope Katherine forgives me, because I can't imagine my life without her." He whispered to his sleeping brother.

* * *

**Donatello** watched Raphael for the rest of the night, managing to nod off every now and then. Unfortunately his sleep had been fitful and full of nightmares that he was unable to recall when he woke, but had probably centered on Katherine leaving him and running away with a mysterious lover.

Donatello shifted forward and checked Raphael's temperature again, and found it to be no better than it had been the night before. His brother seemed to be sleeping soundly despite this, so he stood up just as the door to Raphael's room quietly opened. Katherine slipped inside and Donatello felt himself grow cold and then flush with apprehension.

She looked how he felt. She appeared tired and exhausted, with black bags under her slightly puffy, red eyes. Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail causing tiny curls to fall out here and there to surround her face.

"How is he?" Katherine asked worriedly.

Donatello swallowed and looked at his brother over his shoulder. "Not any better." He finally answered as he took a step towards Katherine, but she gave him a wintery look, daring him to come closer.

"I'm not talking to you yet." She informed him coolly as she pointedly gazed at the door, silently telling him to get out.

Donatello felt his shoulders slump a bit but nodded as he left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

He felt lost for a moment unsure what to do and where to go and finally decided to go downstairs to have some breakfast, but the thought of food made his stomach clench painfully and do a slight roll to the side. He decided that he would try to swallow down a cup of coffee.

"Kit didn't look so good this morning, I wonder if her mom called?" Holly's voice drifted into the hallway just outside the kitchen.

Donatello felt himself flinch at her words causing tears to prick his eyes as hot, sticky, guilt filled regret slid through him. He stopped just outside of the kitchen doorway, leaning against the wall and listening as he tried to compose himself.

"Why'd you say that?" Michelangelo asked, his voice muffled which meant that his baby brother was talking with his mouth full.

"Well her mom is probably riding on her to go home." Holly said as if it should be obvious.

"Home?" Michelangelo questioned slightly confused.

"Well Kit doesn't live in the States. I mean she does, but she is living at Uncle Carin's house. So her mom wants her to go back to Canada. Been bugging her for years. Kit left home almost 4 years ago. Her and her mom hit a little bit of a rough patch when she found out who her real dad was. She and her mom are okay now but..."

Donatello felt his eye ridges rise in surprise and he distinctly heard Michelangelo spit out whatever he had been drinking. "What!" Michelangelo's voice squeaked slightly.

"Yeah it's funny cause her dad isn't her dad so that means that we aren't even related at all by blood. I mean I already knew that but I don't think I ever really thought about it." Holly said thoughtfully. "Anyway she, found out her mom had a fling with some famous married guy before she met and married Kit's dad-well step-dad- and Kit wasn't very impressed. So Kit went halfway around the world for a bit then to New York to stay at Uncle Carin's place since he never uses it."

Donatello digested this information in shock. He had never asked Katherine why she had moved to New York State in the first place. She lived 2 hours outside of the city and had started sleeping over at the lair quite a bit after they had officially started dating, but he had always thought she had moved to the U.S. for her job.

Holly continued to talk as Donatello continued to eavesdrop."Kit knew that Uncle Trevor wasn't her dad, they never tried to hide that, but Kit had never really questioned who her father really was, until she found out that she was her mom and this guy's love child. It's one thing for a relationship not to work out, or I suppose, to be the kid of a one night stand, but to know your mom was 'the other woman' and an almost home wrecker, well, that's a different story. I mean I know Kit's mom was a young actress just starting out, but still. And Kit knows her dad is out there and can't even approach him because she could wreck his marriage. Not that he doesn't deserve to have his marriage wrecked since he cheated on is wife in the first place, but Kit believes that even if you make mistakes, everyone deserves a second chance."

"Does Kitten know who her father is?" Leonardo's voice asked.

"She knows, but she's never told me. All I know is that he is a really big famous Hollywood A-lister, just like her mom, and I think he may be older than her mom by a bit. Anyway her and her mom made up and stuff, but Kit doesn't like it when people lie, or betray those you love. That and Kitten had two boyfriends, one on high school and one in her first year of University that cheated on her, so she has very personal feelings on the subject of cheating."

"I thought Raph was Kitten's first boyfriend?" Michelangelo asked, his voice sounding confused.

"Well, he's the first guy she ever loved and slept with." Holly agreed. "I mean, I know she liked those other two guys, but she really loved Raph." Holy paused for a moment as Donatello closed his eyes at her words. Guilt welled up within Donatello for dating Katherine, but he squashed his guilt down. It was an old guilt that he had mostly dealt with long ago.

"Why did those two break up anyway?" Holly asked suddenly. "I mean, I know she's with Donny now, but I never did get the full story from her. She always just said that 'sometimes love isn't enough' and that was it. "Holly lowered her voice slightly. "Did Donny steal Kit away from Raph?" She asked in a conspiratorial voice.

"Uh..." Michelangelo began as if not knowing what to say. Donatello took this opportunity to walk into the kitchen, effectively cutting off their conversation. If Katherine hadn't wanted Holly to know what had happened between her and Raphael, it wasn't their right to tell her what happened.

"Morning." Donatello mumbled as he made a beeline for the coffee pot, deftly avoiding Michelangelo, Leonardo and Holly's eyes.

"Wow Donny, you look like hell." Michelangelo observed.

Donatello flicked a quick glance at Michelangelo before turning back to pour himself a generous cup of coffee.

"Trouble in paradise, Donny?" Michelangelo asked. "You look like you were up all night, and not in the fun way." He added with a teasing smirk.

Donatello sighed tiredly. "Raph's sick." He announced quietly, which got his brother's attention. Leonardo began to stand as Holly looked on in concern.

"Sick with what?" Leonardo asked worriedly as Donatello waved at Leonardo to stay seated.

"I'm not sure yet, he's got a fever and can't keep anything down. He may have gotten hyperthermia." At the confused looks he got from his brothers and Holly he said. "Heat stroke. Or possibly a flu of some sort." He said with a shake of his head. "I'll keep an eye on him for the rest of the day and hopefully we'll see an improvement before we leave tomorrow."

"Well you know Raph," Michelangelo began. "He'll be better than new by tomorrow." He said with a smile.

"I hope so, Mikey." Donatello said with a nod. "Otherwise we won't be going anywhere."

"But...we leave to go to Comic Con tomorrow."Michelangelo said in a whisper of horror at the thought of missing Comic Con.

"I'm sure Raph will be better by tomorrow, Mikey." Leonardo told their baby brother comfortingly.

"Yeah." Holly said with a nod. "After all, it would suck to miss seeing Auntie Sheila dressed up as Dark Cat."

Michelangelo turned wide eyes on Holly. "What?" He squeaked as Donatello looked at Holly in confusion. "Kitten's mom is going to be there!" He asked incredulous "No, you're lying. It doesn't say anywhere that the original Dark Cat played by 70's sex symbol Sheila Wraith is going to be there! I would have remembered seeing that!"

Holly nodded. "It's a surprise since they are launching the new Dark Cat movie they wanted a little more publicity by having the original Dark Cat there. Besides Kit's mom is still rocking the 'sexy at 43' look."

"Hey Donny, this means you get to meet Kitten's mom! Well sorta since we are going to be in 'costume'. But you can still meet her, isn't that great?" Michelangelo pointed out excitedly.

Donatello gave a wavering smile at the thought of meeting Katherine's mother, but felt his heart drop like a ball of lead into the region of his stomach because he wasn't sure if Katherine still wanted to even be with him anymore. "Yeah, great." He said pasting on a fake smile. "I'd better go check on Raph." He said as he took his cup of coffee and left the kitchen, hoping that he and Katherine could have a private discussion before they had to leave tomorrow.

Donatello entered Raphael's bedroom and found his brother to be awake, but shivering violently.

"He's still burning up but he's complaining that he can't get warm." Katherine said to him as Donatello took his brother's temperature again.

"I don't think he has heat stroke, which is good, that means that his body will cool down on its own." He said to her as he helped her spread another thick blanket over Raphael's shivering form.

"I...I'm s...s...so d...d...damn...c-cold." Raphael's voice growled from beneath his blankets. "D...Donny s...s...stop hoverin' over m-me like I'm dyin'."

"Well he's cranky, that's always a good sign." Katherine said with a wry smile.

Raphael groaned as he tried to roll over from his back to his side. Donatello leaned forward to help. "Go away." Raphael grumbled as he moaned softly again. "Everythin' hurts, includin my head."

"I'll go get you some Tylenol and see if you can actually handle having a little bit of water and some toast." Katherine offered as she left the room leaving Donatello alone with his brother.

Donatello looked at his brother in concern. Raphael was complaining about the pain, which was unusual for him. He usually just shouted at Donatello to leave him alone and no one would see Raphael for a good day, and then he would suddenly emerge from his room completely better.

"I hate it when Kitten sees me when I'm sick. I hate feelin' helpless." Raphael grumbled into his pillow.

Donatello nodded in understanding, realizing that his brother had wanted to get Katherine out of the room. Donatello swallowed. "Raph...I owe you an apology, for last night." He began as Raphael closed his eyes.

"Mmm?" His brother asked as Donatello felt his brother's forehead again. It felt hotter than it had a few minutes ago.

"Raph, I want you to try to stay awake so that you can take some Tylenol okay." He said to his brother who didn't answer him. "Raph." He shook his brother's shoulder gently and got no response.

Donatello sighed, he would have to apologize to Raphael later.

Katherine didn't stay after she found out Raphael had fallen asleep again. She said she still had packing to do and left him to look after Raphael for the rest of the day. By and by evening Raphael had failed to show any improvement.

His brother continued to be unable to keep anything down at all and seemed to still be suffering from a massive headache, along with muscle and joint pain. Unfortunately Raphael couldn't seem to keep down any medicine either, so Donatello couldn't alleviate any of the symptoms of his illness.

Donatello was also unable to talk with Katherine throughout the entire day. She was polite, but would only answer in monosyllables any question directed at her by him, and he knew the only reason that she was even talking to him at all was because there was family and friends around. Though Donatello did get a chance to observe Leonardo and Karai, he could sense that there was definitely some tension between the two of them, and it wasn't the good kind.

By morning Raphael was still no better, if anything he seemed worse. He was both exhausted and weak. Raphael had spent most of the night dry heaving into a bucket and tossing and turning fitfully, his bedding becoming drenched with sweat again.

Donatello had slept an hour or so at most. He felt tired, pulled and strained with the events happening around him. He walked slowly downstairs to give his family the bad news. Raphael was not well enough to travel.

He passed by a pile of bags sitting near the front door and felt loathe to tell Michelangelo that his trip to Comic Con was about to be cancelled, but they had no choice. He steeled himself against what he knew were going to be pleading arguments and protests as he walked into the kitchen, stopping in shock when he saw that the only occupant of the room was Katherine.

"Good morning Donatello." She said softly, a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Donatello felt himself freeze, not knowing if he should approach her or just tuck tail and run the other way, because it looked as if she had reached some sort of decision and Donatello felt too cowardly to hear what she had to say to him.

His eyes darted around the room which looked to have already been used for breakfast. He looked at the coffee maker which was sitting beside Katherine's elbow, empty.

Donatello shifted nervously as he waited for Katherine to speak again. "Coffee?" She asked him as he nodded slowly. She pushed herself away from the counter allowing him access to the coffee maker. Katherine hated coffee and had on numerous occasions tried to get him to cut down, but she had only been partially successful. It also meant that she didn't know how to make coffee, no matter how many times he told her how.

He stepped near her and made himself a cup of coffee, his hands shaking slightly in nervous trepidation as he took a sip of the steaming brew and placing the cup back on the counter. He watched Katherine who seemed to be deep in thought, the silence of the room becoming uncomfortably oppressive before she finally spoke again. "Michelangelo, Leonardo, Karai and Holly are all heading to San Diego to go to Comic Con for four days. After Comic Con Karai is flying to Japan to attend some business and Holly needs to go home to Boston. So the plane will drop them off at their respective destinations on the 16th. Unfortunately other members of my extended family need the use of the plane, including my mother, so we won't be able to get it back here to pick us up until at least the 23rd. I have already talked to the director at the museum and told him that my vacation was going to last a little longer than expected and he was fine with that."

Donatello blinked at Katherine in shock. "So the three of us are staying here for another 11 days?" He asked her.

Katherine nodded. "That should give Raphael enough time to get better. With the whole recirculation of the air on the plane thing, I don't want everyone to get what Raphael has, and I don't want Michelangelo to be unable to go to Comic Con just because Raphael is sick. That and Karai needs to catch her flight to Japan on the 16th. Another 11 days here won't make any difference to the three of us." She finished with a shrug.

"You...you're going to miss Comic Con?" He asked in surprise knowing that she was as excited to be going as Michelangelo was.

"Well I can't leave you two here by yourselves. I mean, I suppose I could, but if I leave I know I will never see you again, and I don't want that. I want to at least _try _to fix us Donatello." She said to him softly.

Donatello felt himself start at her words, his eyes widening in shock and relief as he moved to pull her into him, but she deftly sidestepped his embrace.

"We are not okay, Donatello, not even close." She said to him softly. "I want to make us okay, but your sudden jealousy of Raphael is something that you have to get over."

"I know." He said softly as he nodded his head in agreement. "Katherine, I..."

"He's your brother and you all live together. I can't avoid him and I can't change the fact that we used to be lovers." She told him curtly.

"I know." He said as he slowly approached her again and this time she let him enfold her into his arms.

He buried his face into her neck and breathed in the flowery scent of her skin. "I'm sorry Katherine. I am so, so sorry." He whispered shakily.

Katherine nodded. "I also can't change the way I feel about him." She said quietly into his neck. "And if that is too much for you, then it would be better to just end this right now." She finished pulling away slightly and studying his face carefully.

Donatello felt himself pause before shaking his head. "I don't want to lose you." He finally told her softly. "I love you, and I know you love me. I understand that you will always have feelings for Raph, but I shouldn't have let Mikey's words get under my skin like that."

"What did Michelangelo say?" Katherine asked in confusion.

Donatello just shook his head, blushing slightly. "It isn't important, just that Raph seemed really happy and that you seemed really happy, and..."

"And because Raphael and I were happy you automatically thought that we were..." Katherine said putting the pieces together.

"No." He said shaking his head firmly, "But..."

"Hey Donny, hey Kitten!" Michelangelo chirped happily as he walked into the kitchen. "I know Raphie's still sick and everything and I know you really wanted to come Kitten, but thank you for letting us still go." Michelangelo said with a big grin as he pulled Katherine from Donatello's arms and gave her a bone crushing hug. "But I think you three will have an even better time without all of us here cramping your style." Michelangelo said with a knowing wink at Donatello.

"Mikey..." Donatello growled.

Michelangelo laughed impishly. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed. Anyway we have gotta get going so I just came in to say bye and help Leo grab the rest of the bags. I'm gonna run up and say bye to Raph. You three have fun, but maybe not too much. I would say don't do anything I wouldn't do, but I think you guys have already done that."

Michelangelo said with another wink as he practically skipped from the room.

"Um...?" Katherine asked, but was interrupted when Leonardo, Karai and Holly walked into the kitchen. After that is was a chaotic farewell as everyone made it onto the private jet that would take them to Comic Con in California.

Donatello watched the plane take off from Raphael's bedroom window. He looked at his brother's feverish features and felt a small feeling of apprehension roll through him.

* * *

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome:)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A giant thank you as always to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter for me, and for letting me pick her brain:)**

**Also a thank you to my reviewers moonie016 and mela989898!**

* * *

Chapter 3

**Donatello** pulled the thermometer out of Raphael's mouth as his brother glared at him in irritation. Donatello looked at his brother's temperature and nodded. His brother's fever was finally gone. It had been four days and it was relief that his brother was finally feeling better.

"I told ya Donny, I'm fine. I can even go to the bathroom by myself now." His brother said sarcastically. "Now let me out of bed." He growled as he didn't wait for Donatello's permission and just slid from his bed.

Donatello sighed but knew that there was no reason to keep Raphael in his bed any longer. Raphael stood up and stretched. "I'm goin for a shower." Raphael announced. "Where's Kitten?" He asked as he made his way to the bathroom, pausing at the threshold.

Donatello gave a shrug. He wasn't sure where she had gotten to. All he knew was that she had gone outside somewhere.

Raphael frowned. "Things okay with you two Donny?" He asked in concern. Donatello paused for a moment and then shrugged. He had been unable to apologize to Raphael for accusing him of sleeping with Katherine because Raphael didn't remember the conversation. Raphael didn't remember most of that night and he didn't remember puking on Katherine either, which she loved to remind Raphael of, which embarrassed his brother to no end.

Raphael continued to wait to see if Donatello would elaborate on his shrug, but truthfully Donatello didn't know how to answer the question. Things had been strained between him and Katherine for the last few days, but things seemed to be getting better. It was obvious that he had hurt her deeply with his accusations, but she had forgiven him, and yet there was this uneasy tension that surrounded them both. He was unsure how to make the tension go away or even what the cause of it was.

Donatello blew out a soft puff of air. "We're okay Raph." He said as his brother nodded, and gave him a look that Donatello took to mean that Raphael didn't quite believe him, but that he wasn't going to push Donatello for a better answer.

Raphael entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Donatello walked over and sat on the edge of Raphael's bed, before pulling out his phone. If Donatello was lucky he would be able to catch his brothers before they left to go to Comic Con for the day.

Donatello heard the shower turn on in the background.

He dialed Leonardo's number and didn't get any answer. Donatello hung up and tried Michelangelo's phone.

"Hey Donny!" Michelangelo said in an ecstatically happily voice. "You just caught us." Michelangelo lost the smile in his voice and asked in concern " Wait, how's Raph?"

"Better." He replied. "His fever is finally gone and he is up and out of bed."

"That's great!" Michelangelo said with relief. "Leo will be glad to know that Raph's all better. He's been a giant stick in the mud the entire time we've been here and today is the last day. Course I think things aren't goin' too well with him and Karai. In fact Karai left yesterday to go to Japan, so she ditched out a day early. Not that I think this was really Karai's scene anyway, but still. Oh that reminds me though; Holly needs to go home today and she has some stuff she has to do at home, but she wants me, Leo and her to all go camping together the day after she gets home.

"You think that's a good idea Mikey?" Donatello asked with concern.

"Sure, I want to spend as much time with Holly as I can before she has to go back to school. Besides you Raph and Kitten aren't going to be back for another week anyway. We'll go camping for 10 days and meet you back at the lair. After all, you three may just decide to stay in your little tropical paradise for a little longer." Michelangelo said with a suggestive chuckle.

"Mikey, Raph and I aren't sharing Katherine." Donatello told his brother quietly.

There was absolute silence on the other end of the phone and then some muffled scrambling. Michelangelo lowered his voice, which echoed oddly into the phone, meaning Michelangelo had probably moved himself to the bathroom and shut the door. "Donny, don't pull my leg like this." Michelangelo said his voice full of worry.

"I'm not pulling your leg, Mikey." Donatello said as he looked at the closed bathroom door, the shower still running.

"I...I'm sure that there is nothing going on between Raph and Kitten." Michelangelo hastily put in.

"I know." He answered softly. "Believe me I know..."

"Donny?" His brother questioned worriedky and Donatello shot another glance at the closed bathroom door. He felt like Michelangelo may be able to help him.

"I accused her of sleeping with Raph. I accused Raph too, but he can't remember because he was too sick, but...Mikey, I messed up big time. I know there isn't anything going on between them, but I don't know how to fix what I said." He said in a wavering, depressed voice into the phone.

Michelangelo was deadly silent for a moment before answering. "It's Inception." His brother told him.

"W-what?" Donatello asked in total confusion.

"You know, the movie Inception." Michelangelo prodded.

"Mikey I have no idea what you are talking about." Donatello said in exasperation as he shook his head that he knew his brother couldn't see.

"A thought, once it has been thought, cannot be un-thought." Michelangelo informed him.

"What?" Donatello asked even more confused than he was a moment ago.

"You thought Kitten and Raph were fooling around behind your back right?" Michelangelo asked.

"Yes..." Donatello answered tentatively wondering where his brother's mind was going with this line of thought.

"So it doesn't matter if there was or wasn't anything going on. You thought there was and so even though you _know_ there is nothing going on between them, you will always be looking and watching to see if there _is_." His brother insisted.

"No, Mikey I…" He began but his brother cut him off.

"Yes you will. You will always be watching them now and wondering; did Kitten get too close to Raph? Did she touch his hand for longer than she should have? Did she look at him too long? Is she smiling up at him in a more intimate way than she should? Don't you get it Donny? Now that the thought has been planted in your head you can never get it out. And Kitten knows this, which means you have put her in the position of having to choose between you and Raph." Michelangelo explained patiently.

Donatello felt himself pale. "What do you mean she has to choose between me and Raph?" He asked into the phone, his voice shaking slightly.

"Not in the romantic sense." Michelangelo began."At least...I don't think so…" Michelangelo pondered for a minute before continuing his thought. "If she stays with you that means she is always going to have to watch what she says to Raph, how much time she spends with him and basically distancing herself from him. I think that this would hurt her deeply, especially since they are still so close and you have never said anything before now about their relationship bothering you, which means it will hurt even worse. If she breaks up with you it will break her heart, but she will be able to keep Raph's friendship and eventually maybe even yours in time."

"Mikey, are you saying that she's going to break up with me?" Donatello asked as tears began to prick his eyes at the thought of losing Katherine forever.

"Just a minute!" Michelangelo yelled as he tried to cover the mouth piece of the phone and failing miserably. Donatello heard Michelangelo remove his hand from the phone. "No, not necessarily." Michelangelo reassured him. "You tell her that you trust her and that you trust Raph and that she doesn't have to change the way she acts around him and you two should be good, as long as you don't accuse her of being overly friendly with Raph."

Donatello thought about what his brother had said for a moment and nodded. His brother was right. Katherine had seemed awkward around Raphael as if she wasn't sure how to act, and she had seemed awkward around Donatello if he was around with Raphael as well.

"Mikey, how'd you get to know so much about women?"He asked his baby brother in surprise.

Michelangelo chuckled. "I will never admit to watching more chick flicks than I can name with Kitten." He said with a smile in his voice, but turned serious. "I'm sorry Donny. I should have kept my big beak shut." He apologized.

"It isn't your fault Mikey, it's mine. But thank you. Have fun camping and say 'hi' to Leo and Holly for me." Donatello said with a slight smile, his voice full of gratitude to his brother for the advice.

"Kay." Michelangelo said. "Say 'hi' to Kitten and Raph for us. Bye!" He said as Donatello hung up the phone.

Donatello contemplated his brother's words for a moment and then stood. He needed to go and find Katherine before any more time passed.

Donatello searched the house and then outside, but was unable to find her. He could search the whole island and miss her, so he decided to go to the shed and tinker with one of the ATV's that seemed to be acting up.

Donatello wasn't sure how long he was in the garage for, but he had managed to fix the ATV so that it ran like a dream. He washed the grease off of his hands with a towel and walked out of the garage.

He stopped in surprise as he spotted Katherine talking with Raphael. Raphael stood close to Katherine while Katherine had her arms wrapped around her body like she was hugging herself. She looked up at Raphael and reached out a hand gently touching Raphael's forehead as if checking for herself that his brother's fever was really gone. Raphael pulled his forehead away and probably growled at her that he was fine; at least that is what it looked like his brother said, Donatello was too far away to tell for sure.

Katherine laughed and shook her head at him, Raphael gave her an answering smile and it was at that moment that Donatello realized that Michelangelo was right. Donatello knew that there was nothing going on between Katherine and Raphael and yet seeing them standing together rolled a wave of uncontrollable bitter jealously through him.

Katherine looked over and spotted him. Her smile fell from her face and she jumped back guiltily from Raphael, even though she had nothing to feel guilty about.

Donatello closed his eyes. Michelangelo was also right about Katherine and her not being able to be comfortable around Raphael. If Donatello didn't talk to her and tell her that she could continue to act the same way around Raphael as she had in the past, he was going to lose her for good. It didn't matter how much seeing her and Raphael together bothered him, that was _his _problem, and he had to get a handle on it if he wanted to stay with Katherine.

Raphael looked over his shoulder and looked at Donatello in utter confusion at Katherine's sudden change in behaviour.

Donatello pasted what was no doubt a strained smiled on his face and walked over to his brother and his girlfriend. "So Raph," Donatello began, smiling warmly at his brother. "What's for dinner?" He asked.

Raphael gave Donatello a confused looked. "Huh?" He asked as he glanced at Katherine who was looking at Donatello with a mixture of confusion, trepidation and the growing signs of annoyance.

"Well, Katherine has been cooking all of our meals and I have been up for 3 nights looking after you. I think you owe us; so dinner." Donatello said with a persuasive smile.

Raphael blinked in shock but nodded slowly. "Okay, Donny." He said, unsure of himself as he turned around and walked slowly back to the house.

Donatello watched his brother's retreating back with shock. He had expected Raphael to put up more of a fight. Raphael hated cooking and was horrible at it. He tended to get impatient, so food either ended up burnt from him trying to cook food too fast at too high a temperature, or things were undercooked if he didn't wait for it to thaw first, and Donatello didn't know which was worse.

Donatello turned his attention back to Katherine whose face had gone blank which meant that she was suppressing all of her emotions, but her lightening gaze indicated that she was either irritated or angry...or worried.

"Raph's fine." Donatello said as he stepped towards her slowly.

Katherine was studying him, trying to decipher what he was thinking. The problem was -with Katherine- Donatello was an open book. She was always able to read him too well.

"Donatello..." She began but Donatello cut her off by brushing his thumb across her cheek and claiming her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss.

She let him kiss her but he could feel her pulling away too soon. He was about to lose her, he could feel it. "I trust you." He blurted out. "And I trust Raph. I don't want you to change the way you act around him." He told her earnestly as he searched her moss green eyes, which were widened slightly with surprise. "I know you love him and I can't change that and I wouldn't want to change that. But you are with me and I never should have accused you or him. I am so sorry." He clutched her to him in a vice-like embrace. "I love you, Katherine. I don't ever want to lose you." He pleaded to her.

"I love you too, Donatello." She replied softly, "But..." She began, a hint of doubt lacing her words.

Donatello knew that saying that he was sorry wasn't enough to fix what he had done. Things hadn't been right between Katherine and him for the last four days, even though they were both trying; which meant that he had to prove to her that what he had just said was true.

"No buts," Donatello said with a smile. "Now you had better go inside and make sure that Raph doesn't burn the house down, or even worse, actually try to cook some food." He said with a shudder.

"I thought you wanted him to cook? Though I will admit that the thought of Raphael cooking is slightly horrific, but I just thought you were trying to get rid of him." She said to him searchingly.

"I did want to get rid of him." Donatello said his smile becoming suggestive. Katherine blinked at him in shock for a moment before shaking her head and pushing his shoulder away gently.

"So what are you going to do?" She asked him.

He grinned down at her and his smile became more salacious. "Well I thought I would start by pushing you up against that wall over there and then..."

Katherine shook her head and laughed. "Nice try." She said with a wry smile.

Donatello gave an innocent shrug. "I'll go and rip apart the other ATV. I think there is something wrong with the starter and I'm going to see if I can fix it."

Katherine nodded. "Fine, I'll go and help Raphael so he doesn't give us food poisoning while you get all greasy and dirty." She said with a mischievous smile and lust filled eyes that promised a heady, sweat filled night for both of them.

Donatello grinned in eager anticipation. Katherine turned and walked towards the house, Donatello watched her go. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "You know that I know you are lying through your teeth, don't you?" She asked him curiously.

Donatello felt his heart leap into his throat in sudden anxiety, knowing that she had seen right through him. She knew that he was pretending that he was okay with her and Raphael being alone together. "I..." He began but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"You get an 'A' for effort Donatello. And that counts for a lot. I appreciate that you are trying and that is important. You can't help the way you feel, but you can control how you act. So thank you." She said as she gave him a loving smile, and turned to go into the house.

Donatello felt his shoulders sag in relief. It was the first time in the last 5 days that he had felt like things between him and Katherine were going to be okay.

Donatello walked to the large shed and began to tinker with a broken generator. He was pleased with himself when he got it running again. He figured then that he would go up to the house. It was possible that Raphael and Katherine had already eaten dinner because Donatello had lost track of time again.

He had been aware of a steady rain which had begun sometime after he had started tinkering, but when he opened the garage door he encountered a harsh down pouring of heavy rain and high winds.

He closed the shed door before dashing into the house. By the time he reached the back door he was drenched; his clothing clinging to him like a second skin.

He opened the door and stumbled inside, closing the door quickly against the storm that raged outside. The back door led directly into the kitchen, which was dark and empty, indicating that dinner was long over and dishes had already been cleaned and put away.

He pulled off his shirt and his shorts, not wanting to drip throughout the house. He bundled his clothing into a ball and trudged to his room, throwing his clothing in the laundry room on the way. He passed by the living room and heard the TV and changed course before he got to the staircase that lead upstairs where his room was. He was about to walk into the living room when he stopped and looked down at himself. He was standing in his wet underwear. This thought didn't bother him, he knew that both his brother and Katherine wouldn't care, though no doubt Raphael would make some rude comment about him being cold. But besides this, it would look like Donatello had rushed in like a jealousy crazed lover trying to catch Raphael and Katherine in the act of doing something inappropriate.

He closed his eyes, took a deep steadying breath, opened his eyes and headed to his bedroom instead. He changed into some dry clothing and headed back to the main level, walking calmly into the living room and stopping dead in his tracks. His brother was sitting on the couch beside Katherine, his arm draped casually across the top of the couch behind her head.

He swallowed down his jealousy and pasted a smile on his face.

Raphael glanced at him and frowned as he followed Donatello's line of sight his gaze resting on his arm draped behind Katherine's head. Raphael seemed to start with surprise and he removed his arm swiftly, covering the action by reaching for and taking a sip of pop that had been sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

Donatello felt his eye ridges rise in surprise. Normally Raphael would just grin at him broadly and drop his arm over Katherine's shoulders until she playfully pushed him off.

"Satellite is out." Raphael informed him as Donatello took a glance at the TV to cover up his confusion. An action movie of some sort was playing on the screen. "We put in Independence Day."

"I made up a plate up for you, it's in the fridge." Katherine said with a smile.

"And you'll be happy to know I didn't cook anythin'." Raphael pointed out with a big grin.

Donatello smiled back. "Well at least I won't have to worry about food poisoning." He said as he turned and went back to the kitchen. He lost his smile as he wondered at Raphael's reaction. It was then that he wondered if his jealously had been so noticeable, that even his normally oblivious brother had managed to pick up on it.

Normally Donatello had only been irritated with Raphael when he was overly friendly with Katherine, which generally just seemed to encourage his brother more. But now it seemed that Raphael knew that his irritation had turned to jealousy and had decided to back off for once.

Donatello gave a soft smile of relief at his brother's unusually thoughtful gesture. He quickly warmed up his dinner and walked back to the living room to eat it.

Raphael's arms were both by his sides and Katherine was laughing at something his brother had just said. Donatello fought with his jealousy for a moment as he wondered what Raphael had said to put the smile and laughter in her eyes and voice. He gave himself a mental shake and sat down next to Katherine. She turned her attention from Raphael to himself.

There was a slight intensity to her gaze that momentarily gave him pause. The look vanished as she gave him a smile. "We would have called you in, but we know what you get like when you are busy fixing things." She said to him.

"That and neither of us wanted to go out into the rain and get you." Raphael said with a grin.

Donatello nodded as he took a bite of his spaghetti. It was good, proof that Raphael hadn't cooked. "There was this old generator I was fixing, even managed to get it running." He said with a satisfied smile. "I lost track of time."

Katherine gave him a wry smile and nodded.

"Shhh this is the best part." Raphael said as Katherine turned her attention back to the TV, a grin stealing across her face as Raphael leaned forward in anticipation. The main character started beating on an alien of some sort as Raphael began cheering him on and Katherine threw back her head and laughed.

Personally Donatello didn't understand what was so funny about the scene. It was mildly amusing, intense and somewhat violent. The thought struck him then that Katherine wasn't laughing at the scene, but rather his brother's reaction to it.

"Welcome to Earth!" Raphael yelled at the TV which had Katherine laughing even harder.

Donatello looked between Raphael and Katherine, as Raphael turned to Katherine with a huge smirk on his face. "Now that is how ya take down alien scum!"

Katherine shook her head. "Probably not the most intelligent way to take down an alien invader." She pointed out with a smile.

"Oh come on Kitten, the guy beat the alien with his fists! Through a bio exo-suit! That is awesome!" Raphael said with exasperation.

Katherine chuckled. "Awesome, funny and totally stupid; but I could see you doing that Raphael."

Raphael quickly frowned. "You callin' me stupid?" Raphael growled, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously in sudden anger.

Donatello looked at Katherine, a worried frown puckering between his brows, wondering how to intervene in what had suddenly become an argument.

Katherine lifted a delicate, russet brow and grinned even more broadly, apparently unconcerned with Raphael's apparent, growing anger. "Tell me you wouldn't totally do that."

Raphael narrowed his eyes further. "So? If you're so smart, what would you do?" Raphael asked his intense amber gaze locked on Katherine's mischief filled green ones.

Katherine laughed but seemed to think the question over before answering. "If I was in the same situation where I had just been shot out of the sky I would have to assume I was a different kind of person than I am, so therefore I can't say what it is I would do."

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Just pretend that the alien is right there, what do you do?"

Katherine seemed to think it over again and shrugged. "I am not a fighter," She began flexing her arms to show that although she was in shape, she had no real muscle definition. "So for me it would be rather stupid to try to confront the alien head on. However I suppose if the right motivation were to occur I would probably find a weapon of some sort and bash him over the head with it."

"See, you're not smarter than me." Raphael pointed out with a satisfied smirk.

"I never said I was. You are smarter than you think you are Raphael. "She said to Raphael seriously. Raphael looked at her in surprise before a smile crossed her face again. "But I would have at least grabbed a weapon." She said teasingly.

"These fists _are_ weapons." Raphael gloated curling his hand into a fist and flexing his bicep.

"Point." She conceded as Raphael nodded smugly and turned his attention back to the movie.

Katherine turned her attention back to Donatello. "What?" She asked him and he realized that he must have been staring at her with a strange expression on his face.

He shook his head in answer to her question because he wasn't sure what had bothered him about the short conversation that Raphael and Katherine had just engaged in. They were just talking and although Raphael had gotten angry Katherine hadn't been bothered by Raphael's anger, which wasn't unusual, but coloured with the glasses of jealousy he realized the depth of Katherine's and Raphael's friendship. Katherine understood Raphael, his thoughts and feelings, and Donatello finally comprehended how much her friendship meant to his brother. Katherine was probably the only one who really understood Raphael, and the thought that Donatello had let his feelings of jealousy almost destroy that made him feel ashamed of himself.

"Course Donny'd be dead." Raphael said as an afterthought.

"What?" He yelped in surprise.

"True." Katherine agreed with a knowing nod.

"What?" He repeated, slightly stung by the fact that Katherine had just agreed with Raphael.

"It's true Donny, you'd get yourself killed." Raphael took a swig of his pop and grinned slightly.

"I am just a good a fighter as you are, Raph." He said narrowing his eyes slightly, wondering if he had just been imagining Raphael's earlier good will.

"No Raphael has a point," Katherine agreed with his brother. "You would want to talk to the alien and see if he meant you any harm first and be distracted by all the cool technology." She said with a big grin.

Donatello realized then that she was teasing him and so was Raphael. "Funny." He said shaking his head and standing. "I'd hit the alien on the head with my bo if it was unfriendly and _then_ I'd play with the alien technology." He said with a grin. Katherine laughed and Raphael grinned. "You guys want anything from the kitchen?" He asked holding his empty plate.

"I'm good." Raphael said as Katharine shook her head.

"Are you sure Raphael," Katherine asked with concern. "You didn't eat anything for dinner."

Raphael shook his head. "I'm good, not really that hungry." He answered with a shrug.

Donatello nodded but shared a concerned look with Katherine. Donatello walked to the kitchen and washed his plate off in the sink. Raphael was probably still feeling a little under the weather and would only get angry if Donatello tried to coddle him.

Donatello sighed inwardly and turned his attention back to his feelings of jealousy. He needed to get a better handle on them because he was getting sick of it.

With this thought in mind he walked back into the living room, sat down beside Katherine, and pulling her in close as they finished watching the movie.

* * *

**Donatello** opened his eyes and realized that he had fallen asleep sometime during the second movie. He glanced at the black screen of the TV and the dark living room. He looked over at Katherine who was leaning against his shoulder sleeping soundly. Raphael was sleeping as well, but had somehow managed to bury his face into Katherine's neck, his arms wrapped around her body, his knees curled into her lap.

Donatello felt the rage build up within him until he realized that Raphael appeared to be shivering violently in his sleep.

Donatello moved waking Katherine up. She yawned and tried to stretch when she realized that Raphael was wrapped around her like a blanket. She frowned at Raphael in irritation, but her irritation was quickly replaced by concern and worry.

"He's burning up." Katherine whispered to Donatello as he reached over and felt his brother's forehead. It burned beneath his hand and yet Raphael's body was wracked with convulsive shivering that was getting progressively worse.

"His fever is back." Donatello said as he shifted away from Katharine to stand. "He must have fallen asleep and gotten cold, so he moved closer to the nearest source of warmth his body could find." Donatello said as he gently shook his brother's arm.

"Wha...?" Raphael asked as he lifted his head out of Katherine's neck. Raphael looked at Katherine with blurry-eyed confusion glanced down to see that he was practically sitting in her lap and looked at Donatello in horror. He scrambled away from her as fast as he was able, which caused him to fall off the couch and onto the floor in a heap.

Raphael looked at Donatello anxiously. "Donny I...I..." He stammered as he clutched his head in pain, before allowing his hand to drop and the pain to vanish from his face.

That Raphael had allowed himself to show a moment's pain indicated to Donatello that Raphael was very sick. Raphael seemed to gather his thoughts and looked ready to try to speak again but Donatello just shook his head. "Come on Raph, let's get you to bed." He said quietly as helped Raphael pick himself off the floor. Raphael closed his eyes, almost collapsing in Donatello's grip.

Katherine threw Raphael's arm over her shoulder as Donatello put Raphael's other arm over his own shoulder. Together they both walked Raphael upstairs to his bedroom.

They lay Raphael down onto his bed and Donatello turned on the bedside lamp, the dull yellow light illuminating his brother's strained emerald features.

Donatello checked his brother's temperature again and frowned with worry when he read his brother's temperature was sitting at 103˚.

"He was better this morning, and he was fine a few hours ago, what happened?" Katharine asked in a soft, worried voice.

"I don't know." Donatello answered as he put another blanket over his brother's shivering form. "Raph, can you tell me how you feel?" Donatello asked his brother gently.

""Freezing, head hurts...everything hurts, I think...I'm gonna need the bucket again." Raphael groaned as Katherine leapt up and ran from the room to get a bucket for Raphael to vomit in if he needed to. "I didn't mean to...to... Donny." Raphael said weakly. "I..."

"It's okay Raph." Donatello said softly as his brother's eyes fluttered closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

Katherine came back into the room with a bucket and a few damp cloths. She put one of the cloths on Raphael's forehead and the other on his chest just above his plastron.

"This is more than just a flu." He said to her grimly as she looked at him with worried eyes, Donatello's own heart filled with its own dire apprehension.

* * *

**Thoughts? Opinions? curious as to what is ailing our hot-headed turtle?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alrighty all, chapter 4 is up!**

**A big thank you as always to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter for me!**

**Also thank you to my reviewers Moonie016 and mela989898.**

* * *

Chapter 4

**Donatello** peeled his face from his arm and looked at Raphael's pale, sweat beaded brow. His brother had slept fitfully throughout the night and although Donatello hadn't planned on sleeping, he realized that he must have nodded off sometime during the early hours of the morning waiting for Raphael's fever to break.

He rubbed his hands down his weary face as he stood and stumbled over to the bedroom curtains pulling them open. There had been a series of noises that he had been unable to identify that were most likely the cause of him waking up. Pulling open the curtains he realized that the noise he had been hearing was the fronds of a palm tree whipping against the glass of the window. The rain storm pelted the windows violently as the darkened clouds rolled across the sinister, leaden sky as flashes of lightning lit up the heavens here and there, thunder rumbling ominously .

Donatello walked back over to Raphael who was still sleeping fitfully. He flopped tiredly back into his chair and checked his brother's temperature. His brother's skin still burned beneath his fingertips.

Donatello's light touch must have disturbed his brother because Raphael groaned and rolled over. "Bucket." Raphael managed to choke out weakly as Donatello quickly placed the ice cream pail in front of his brother's mouth just as he heaved.

Donatello rubbed Raphael's shoulder comfortingly as Raphael heaved again. His brother pulled back and flopped back weakly on the bed, his face pale and his body shaking. "What the hell is wrong with me, Donny?" Raphael grumbled out weakly.

Donatello placed the bucket on the floor. "I don't know, Raph." Donatello told his brother truthfully with a shake of his head. "I know it isn't a flu, but that's not to say it isn't some sort of nasty bug that will just work its way out of your system. The fact that you have a fever means that your body is trying to fight off the infection."

Raphael grunted in acknowledgement. "Can you at least try to keep Kitten out of here? She doesn't need to see my like this." Raphael muttered as he closed his eyes in shameful embarrassment.

Donatello knew that Raphael hated anyone seeing him vulnerable and weak, and right now Raphael was both, and hating every minute of it. But Donatello was surprised that Raphael didn't want Katherine to see him sick. "You know I couldn't keep Katherine out of here, even if I tried." Donatello replied frankly.

Raphael let out a huff of irritation but nodded, acknowledging the truth of his statement.

"Besides you've already puked on her." Donatello pointed out with a teasing half-smile. "I think the embarrassment boat has long since sailed."

Raphael groaned and buried his face in his pillow. "I don't want her to worry about me Donny." Raphael mumbled into his pillow.

Donatello felt his eye ridges rise in surprise. "She'll worry about you anyway, Raph." Donatello told his brother softly.

"That's the problem, Donny. She shouldn't be worrying about me. She's _your_ girlfriend." Raphael said as he lifted his head off his pillow, his amber eyes filled with worried remorse.

Donatello understood then that Raphael had at least figured out that Donatello and Katherine's problems had begun the night he had fallen sick. Raphael obviously believed that Donatello had become jealous because Katherine had been tending to Raphael when he had become sick.

Donatello took a deep breath and knelt down at his brother's side. "Raph," he began. "Katherine loves you and will always worry about you, no matter what. I messed up, okay, it wasn't you and it wasn't her, it was me. I said things to you that night that you don't remember and I am glad you don't, because I can't forgive myself for what I said. But believe me; it had nothing to do with Katherine worrying about you, her feelings for you, or her tending you. Okay?" He said as he reached out and gave his brother's hand a tight squeeze.

Raphael's concerned gaze searched his own and gave a slow nod of understanding. "Okay, Donny." His brother replied softly.

Donatello smiled. "I'll go get you some water; hopefully you will be able to keep it down." He said gently as he stood, grabbing the bucket to go wash it out in the bathroom and get a glass of water when he glanced down at the contents of the bucket. Raphael hadn't eaten in over a day and so he should have just been vomiting up stomach acid, but instead of the expected clear liquid, dark crimson stained the bottom of the bucket.

Donatello looked at the blood in horror as his eyes sought out Raphael's confused gaze. Donatello slowly put the bucket back down. He pulled up his chair closer to Raphael's bedside, sat down, and looked over his brother. "Raph..." he began as the door to Raphael's bedroom opened and Katherine walked in carrying a tray. There was a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee, some toast, and a glass of water and a bowl of porridge.

She took one look at Donatello's fear filled face and paled. She placed the tray down on the dresser and quickly strode to Donatello's side.

"Donny, stop looking at me like that and just tell me what the hell is wrong?" Raphael ground out in irritation as Donatello glanced at Katherine before turning his attention back to Raphael.

Donatello swallowed down his fear, his mind struggling desperately to come understand what was wrong with his brother. Donatello reached out shaky fingers and placed them on Raphael's throat feeling the gentle but irregular beat beneath his fingertips. Katherine sat down gently on the edge of the bed. "Donatello?" Katherine asked her voice calm and controlled, but her eyes were nearly blue with worry.

Donatello pulled his shaky fingers away from his brother's throat. He stood, not answering Katherine's question, and instead he pulled back his brother's bed sheets. He gently grabbed his brother's arm and began searching his emerald green flesh.

"Donny, what are you...?" Raphael began asking as Donatello found dark purple bruising along his brother's left side. He prodded his brother's side above the bruise and the other side, ignoring Raphael's protest of soreness he pressed firmly on his brother's plastron, over his stomach.

Raphael groaned in pain and rolled to his side. Donatello quickly grasped the pail and shoved it beneath his brother's chin as he vomited thick, frothy blood into the bucket.

"Raphael is showing signs of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, or DIC, and heart arrhythmias." Donatello pronounced grimly as he resisted the urge to pace. He looked at Katherine and Raphael who were exchanging confused, horror-stricken looks.

"Raph is bleeding internally and his heartbeat is irregular." He clarified bleakly. "He is also experiencing headaches, muscle pains, vomiting and fever." This last part he said more to himself as his mind furiously searched for the answer to what was wrong with his ailing brother; and to his horror, came back with absolutely nothing. He just didn't know.

He glanced at Katherine and Raphael's pale faces as he slumped back in his chair in shock. "I don't know what's wrong with him." He whispered to Katherine as his heart rose up and lodged in his throat to choke him with horror filled misery.

"I'm sick Donny, not deaf." Raphael growled as he gritted his teeth in pain, his lips stained red with blood. Raph clutched his stomach in agony as he rolled over again. Katherine held the bucket up to his brother's face as more blood made it into the bucket.

Donatello shot to his feet, vibrating as his mind struggled furiously to discover an answer. "If only I had my equipment, I would be able to do a blood test to see if I could figure out what was wrong with him. But I left all my equipment at home." Donatello sat back down into the chair; angry at himself for not bringing anything, not even a simple microscope. But Katherine had wanted him to relax and have fun during their vacation. She hadn't seen any valid reason for him to bring his equipment along. "I shouldn't have listened." He ground out bitterly as he shot to his feet again, his anger burning through him like a red hot flame. "I never should have left my equipment at home." He hissed out angrily. "And because I listened to you I didn't bring any of it!" He spat out turning the full brunt of his accusation on Katherine, whose eyes widened slightly in shock as he continued his angry tirade. "And now my brother may be lying here dying and I can't do a damn thing about it!" His roared angrily.

Katherine and Raphael both blinked at him in shock. His anger draining away suddenly as he realized what he had just said, and who he had just angrily, and unfairly accused. Katherine's eyes had lightened indicating anger, but her face remained disturbingly blank. Whatever emotion she was feeling at the moment, she wasn't sharing.

"Katherine..." He began wanting to apologize for his outburst, but she stood suddenly cutting off his hastily formed apology.

"You're right Donatello." She said briskly.

Donatello shook his head vigorously from side to side. "N-No...I..." Donatello stammered, but Katherine talked right over him.

"We only have a first aid kit and a paramedic's kit, but they don't have anywhere close to the amount of medicines that you would have access to back at your lab." Katherine told him. "But you need to figure out what is wrong with him before he gets any worse. Pointing fingers and laying blame will not help Raphael. Feeling guilty will not help either, so pull yourself together and accept the fact that you are going to be working under less than ideal conditions. Many before you have and many after you will work in less ideal conditions."

"I'm still not deaf." Raphael grumbled angrily as he grunted, clutching his head in pain.

Donatello ignored his brother wanting desperately to take back what he had said to Katherine, because even though she was talking calmly and rationally, he didn't know what was underneath the calm exterior. Their relationship was already on shaky ground, and Donatello was afraid that his unwarranted outburst had just jeopardized it even further.

"I will get the kits for you Donatello." She said as she walked from the room, closing the door behind her.

Donatello flopped back into his chair. He put his head in his hands and resisted the urge to break into tears of angry frustration.

"She's not mad you know." Raphael's hoarse voice broke through his despair.

Donatello pulled himself together shame filling him and staining his cheeks. The fact that his brother could be dying right in front of him and he was wasting precious time worrying about his relationship with his girlfriend struck a raw chord of disbelief in his heart. That his trepidation had been that obvious to Raphael was embarrassing and grating.

Donatello looked over at his brother who, despite his calm, strong words, looked like he had deteriorated within the past few moments. "I'll figure out what's wrong with you Raph." He promised softly to his brother; because that was what was important at the moment, not his faltering relationship with Katherine.

Raphael moaned pitifully and wretched into the bucket again. Donatello settled his brother back down and washed out the bucket. Raphael complained of being tired and Donatello left his brother for a moment to see if he could find Katherine who was taking longer than he would have expected in getting the kits.

He ran into her just as she was walking up the stairs, her hands were full and he rushed to help her. "Katherine...I..." He began, trying to stammer out another apology.

"Donatello," She began as she placed a first aid kit, a laptop and another heavy bag on the floor. She stepped up to him wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. "I know." She said softly as he dropped the bag in his hand and wrapped her in his arms, relief flooding through him. She pulled back slightly looking at him in the eyes. "You are worried, and so am I. I know you didn't mean it...Well... I mean you did mean it, but not how it came out." She amended. She brushed his cheek lightly and leaned in, kissing him warmly and leaving him in no doubt of her love.

"You can do this Donatello." She said to him encouragingly as she bent down and began picking up the bags she had placed on the floor.

Donatello nodded, thankful for her support, but unable to feel the same unwavering confidence in his abilities to discover the malady that was ailing his brother. They both walked into the room together. Raphael had curled into a ball and though asleep was shivering violently, his face pale and beaded with sweat.

Katherine walked to the bathroom and walked out a moment later with a cool, damp towel. She tenderly wiped the sweat from Raphael's face and got him another blanket as Donatello perused the first aid kit and paramedics bag they had brought in. There were scissors, bandages, gloves, a scalpel and various other medical paraphernalia and surgical tools as well as Tylenol, penicillin, and a small bottle of morphine. He next examined the unidentifiable bag and found it to be a small defibrillator. Donatello shuddered slightly and prayed silently that he would never have to use the machine.

He closed the defibrillator bag and turned his attention to the laptop that Katherine had brought up. Donatello looked outside at the continuing storm that raged around them and hoped that he was able to get a decent internet signal.

Luckily he was able to get a signal, but after a few hours he lost his tenuous internet signal. Unfortunately Donatello found that he was no closer to discovering what was making his brother so sick. It had grown dark outside meaning it was close to dinner time; not that he was hungry or even felt like eating.

He reviewed his notes when Katherine's voice interrupted his tumultuous thoughts. "Donatello." Katherine said her voice containing the sharp edge of panic and fear.

Donatello's head shot up as he looked at Katherine who was helping Raphael to sit up slightly. "His eyes are yellow." She said and Donatello took this to mean that she wasn't talking about his brother's unique golden amber eye colour.

The lamp in the bedroom flickered and then went out just as he was standing to go examine his brother. He looked around the darkened room in shock as the storm raged outside. Donatello realized that the storm must have knocked the power out, and as they were on a small, private and very deserted island, there would be no one to fix the power except him.

"His liver must be failing." Katherine announced softly in the darkness.

Donatello looked in the direction of Katherine's voice, his mouth hanging open in surprise at her diagnosis.

Katherine was smart and had a small bit of knowledge in osteology that stemmed from her work in Archeology, but she was no medical doctor.

"Donatello, I watch House, even I can pick up a few things." She said in regards to his stunned silence, with no hint of any humour in her voice; she was just stating a fact. That she knew that her words had stunned him into silence let Donatello know just how well Katherine knew him and could read him even in the pitch black dark.

"Why do you guys keep talkin' like I ain't here?" Raphael's voice ground out in irritation.

Donatello rummaged around in the medical kit at his feet, searching desperately for the small penlight he had spotted earlier. His hands wrapped around the metal cylinder. He pulled it out clicking on the small light he shined it towards his brother who closed his eyes automatically in reaction to the light. Donatello bent closer to his brother. "Raph, I need you to open your eyes." He told his brother softly.

Raphael's eyes opened and Donatello carefully shined the light in each one. He pulled back, numb with shock. Katherine was right, Raphael's liver was failing. "It could be acute pancreatitis." He said as he studied his brother in the small beam of the penlight.

"Pancrea- what now?" Raphael asked weakly as he frowned.

"Pancreatitis." Donatello answered as his mind spun rapidly as he recalled the exact symptoms of the disease. Almost all of his brother's symptoms fit except... "Raph, how much pain are you in, scale of 1 to 10? Specifically around your stomach?" He asked his brother carefully.

"Six, maybe seven, but my stomach doesn't hurt that much Donny. I feel more sick than anythin'. It's more my head an' muscles that hurt." His brother answered wearily as if talking suddenly exhausted him.

Donatello felt his shoulders slump, though he wasn't sure if it was in frustration or relief. If his brother had pancreatitis at least Donatello would know what was ailing his brother, and in most cases pancreatitis was treated by having the patient given fluids intravenously to prevent dehydration and stop eating or drinking anything by mouth for a few days to allow the pancreas to rest. But pancreatitis seemed unlikely if his brother's stomach didn't hurt.

Donatello rubbed a frustrated hand down his face. "It's not pancreatitis." He announced softly. "I want to go down and check the breaker and see if I can get the power back on." He said dispiritedly.

"Okay." Katherine replied softly to him. "Take the pen light and go down to the end of the hall, there's a flashlight in the linen closet."

Donatello nodded. He gloomily walked from the room, down the hall to the linen closet and found the flashlight. He walked towards the stairs pausing briefly before continuing down the staircase. Katherine was talking softly to Raphael, but her words were too soft for Donatello to hear what she was saying to his brother.

Donatello moved down to the main floor where the utility room was located. There was a cellar in the mansion, but it was used mostly for wine storage rather than trying to keep the utilities out of the way. Not that space was an issue since it was a ten room house complete with indoor swimming pool, sauna, huge gourmet kitchen, living room, movie theatre room, games room and a large impressively filled library.

Donatello opened the fuse box and looked inside. Several of the breakers had been tripped. Donatello flicked the breakers on. He walked over to the light switch and flicked it on, turning off his flashlight as the room was lit with bright, white light.

"Fever, vomiting, jaundice, internal hemorrhaging, severe headache, muscle pain and arrhythmia." Donatello mumbled to himself as he stood staring at the electrical panel, as if it had the answers. Since pancreatitis didn't fit, neither did pancreatic cancer, or gallstones. His mind furiously ran through other possibilities. Gastroenteritis, Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Peptic Ulcer, Hepatitis A, B or C, Diverticulitis, Helicobacter Pylori Infection, Abscess, Food Poisoning and the list went on and on. Each was rejected for one reason or another. The staggering list in his head began shortening as he mentally put some diseases and infections to the side to be examined more closely later.

He wasn't sure how long he stood staring at the electrical panel but he finally blinked, and shaking himself from his abstraction, walked with leaden feet back to Raphael's bedroom with a much shorter list of possible ailments, none of them good.

He needed to narrow his list down considerably. At the moment the top contenders were Appendicitis, Aseptic Meningitis, Osteomyelitis, Kidney infection, Endocarditis, Cirrhosis, and a whole list of Cancers; Stomach, Intestinal, Liver, Esophageal, to name a few.

He walked into the room and saw that the table side lamp was on and that Raphael appeared to be sleeping again. Katherine was sitting in the chair by his bedside, her hand clasped in his brother's as she lightly kneaded it in comfort.

Forcing his feet to continue walking and ignoring the slight tinge of jealously that ran through him, he stood by his brother's bedside. Katherine looked up at his grim face and looked towards Raphael's sweat drenched features with anxiety filled concern.

"How long has he been sleeping?" Donatello asked quietly, not wanting to wake his brother but realizing that it was better if he did. The sooner he figured out what was wrong the sooner he would be able to treat his brother. At least he was hoping that whatever his brother had was treatable. The alternative was unthinkable.

"About 20 minutes." Katherine replied softly. "Donatello..." She began but Donatello cut her off.

"Could you maybe make us something to eat?" Katherine looked at him in surprise. She blinked a few times as if her brain was trying to process what he had asked. "I know you probably aren't hungry and I'm not either, but we should eat and I have to do a few examinations that Raph may feel more comfortable if I did them while you were out of the room." He put in persuasively.

Katherine nodded her head slowly and stood up. "Okay, call me if you need anything." She said as she left the room closing the door gently behind her.

"You're getting better Donny." Raphael observed hoarsely.

Donatello's head snapped around looking at his brother in shock. "At lyin'." Raphael clarified as Donatello continued to look at his brother in confusion. "You still suck, but you're gettin' better."

Donatello's eye ridges shot up in surprise as opened his mouth to refute his brother's claim that he had lied to Katherine but snapped his mouth shut because his brother was right. Donatello wanted to talk to Raphael without Katherine in the room because his shortened list of diseases were not good, and he wanted to spare Katherine any unnecessary worry until he managed to narrow the list down further.

"Do you think she bought it?" Donatello asked Raphael quietly, but he already knew the answer to his question.

"Not for a minute." Raphael said seriously. "So what's got you so worked up that you wanted Kitten out of the room?" Raphael asked, his voice becoming softer with worry.

Donatello swallowed and sat down in the seat Katherine had vacated. The warmth of her body was still present on the seat, giving him some degree of comfort, even if it was only fleeting. "I am going to ask you a few questions, I need to narrow down my list."

Raphael didn't reply only waited for Donatello to continue. "Before you got sick how was your appetite?" He asked trying to rule out Stomach cancer first. His brother hadn't lost any weight that he could see, but with Raphael he still looked thinner than he had been a year ago. "Any difficulty swallowing or feeling bloated?"

"Fine, no and no." His brother answered with a frown. Donatello thankfully crossed Stomach cancer off his mental list and with a few more questions crossed the rest of the cancers off.

Donatello then removed his brother's blankets looking for any swollen limbs. "Do your bones hurt?" He asked hoping that his brother didn't have Osteomyelitis which was a type of bone disease that Raphael could have acquired through a long healed injury.

"No." His brother growled.

"When was the last time you had to go pee?" He asked his brother who glared at him and then frowned at the private question.

"Yesterday, I think. I don't know Donny I've barely been able to keep anythin' down since yesterday." Raphael said in frustration as he sat up straighter, his face going slightly blank before settling himself lower in the bed again. "It's just my head, Donny." Raphael growled. "It hurts." He growled in response what was no doubt a look of fear laced worry that rippled across Donatello's face.

"And before you got sick?" He asked pushing his brother for a better answer.

"Normal." Raphael grumbled.

Donatello nodded and crossed Kidney Infection off his mental list. "Pain around where your belly button would be if you had one?" He asked as his brother shook his head 'no'. Which meant that Donatello was thankfully able to cross off Appendicitis. He began examining his brother closely. "Have you had any chest pains?" He asked his brother steadily.

"I ain't havin' a heart attack, Donny." Raphael growled in irritation as Donatello examined his brother's nails for splinter hemorrhages.

"I know you aren't Raph." Donatello said as he helped Raph strip off his sweats so that he was able to examine his brother's skin. There was more bruising on his brother's legs which hadn't been present on the day they had been on the beach. Though Donatello did know that his brother had fallen to his knees when he had been trying to get to the bathroom five days ago, but judging by the colouring these bruises were fresh.

Donatello sighed in frustration. "I can't rule out Endocarditis, but, you are lacking some of the symptoms." he said with a shake of his head.

"Endo...what?" Raphael asked as Donatello helped his brother put his pants back on.

"It's a bacterial infection that weakens the valves, muscle or lining of the heart. But you would have had to have a weak valve to begin with because you haven't had dental surgery and you don't use injection drugs..." Donatello let this sentence hang.

"No." Raphael snapped angrily and Donatello continued as if he hadn't asked his brother is he was a druggie, not that he had ever witnessed any behaviour from Raphael that would indicate that he was, but he had to ask.

"And that is why I don't think it can be Endocarditis." Donatello said more firmly but with the realization that he only had one more disease left on his mental list.

He looked at his brother with horror as he slowly sat down on the chair.

"Bucket!" Raphael barked suddenly as he rolled to his side. Donatello grabbed the bucket and held it out for his brother as he wretched his guts out, more bloody vomit pooling in the bottom of the pail.

"You have Cirrhosis." Donatello said softly in stunned disbelief as all of the blood slowly drained from his brother's face.

"Don't understand doctor speak, Donny." Raphael snapped as he wiped his bloody mouth with the back of his hand.

"Cirrhosis is the final stage of chronic liver disease." He said in a dull whisper.

* * *

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome!:)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this fic for me and for her great ideas and encouragement!**

**Also a big thank you to my reviewers Mela989898, moonie016, I love Kittens too, too lazy to sign in and Raphael!**

**A/N Raph had a potty mouth and drops a few F-bombs, just sayin'**

Chapter 5

**Donatello** watched as the blood drained from his brother's face but Raphael remained silent after Donatello's grim diagnosis of Cirrhosis. Donatello did not believe his brother knew what he was talking about, but seemed almost frightened to ask what it was.

"Can you cure it?" Raphael finally whispered. "Or am I dyin'?"

Donatello glared at his brother, suddenly angry by the simple question. "You're not dying, no thanks to you." He accused angrily. Donatello launched himself out of his chair and began to pace in agitation. "Alcohol induced liver disease, Raph." Donatello shook his head in angry disgust. "Liver disease can kill you if not treated in time." He told his brother furiously. "I really thought you had changed." Donatello shook his head again. "How much have you been drinking?"

Raphael continued to glare at him his lips pursing with anger at the accusation.

"Katherine thinks you've changed." Donatello continued when Raphael remained silent. "How many of those pina coladas that you have been pounding back have been full of vodka?"

"Rum." Raphael ground out through clenched teeth.

Donatello blinked in shock his thoughts momentarily derailed by his brother's admission of guilt before he continued. "I've seen you drink at least seven or eight of those things a day!" Donatello barked in angered exasperation.

"Pina coladas are made with rum, not vodka and me an' Mikey have been drinkin' _virgin_ pina coladas." Raphael growled as he slid from the bed standing on shaky legs, his eyes burning brightly with fever and defiance

"What do you think you're doing? Lay back down!" Donatello snapped.

"Screw you, Donny!" Raphael roared furiously. "I don't need to take this shit from you." Raphael shouted as he took a shaky step forward.

Donatello strode over and grabbed his brother firmly by the shoulders. Raphael struggled weakly, his flesh burning beneath Donatello's cooler hands.

"Lay down before you hurt yourself." Donatello ordered in exasperation as Raphael broke his hold on his shoulders, pushing him roughly away.

"Leave me alone. You said I ain't dying so get the hell away from me!" Raphael snarled angrily as he pushed past Donatello and took two more shaky steps towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Donatello asked irritably, his own temper and frustration with his older brother rising.

"To go and fuck your girlfriend." Raphael replied viciously.

Donatello's eyes widened in shock and then moved. He didn't think about what he was doing as he brought back his fist and punched Raphael hard in the jaw. Raphael fell to the ground hitting it heavily as Donatello watched him fall with some small bit of satisfaction.

"Don't you **EVER** talk about Katherine that way again!" Donatello shouted furiously. "She is **my** girlfriend now. You screwed up and lost her and now she's mine, not yours, mine! And she is by far happier with me than she ever was with you!" Donatello spat out maliciously as he forced himself to unclench his hands so he wouldn't launch himself at his brother and punch him again- just for good measure- in order to wipe the smug grin off his brother's face. But his words seemed to have this effect anyway as Raphael paled even more and lost his arrogant smile.

"The only reason she's yours, Donny," Raphael snarled. "Is because I fucked up." Raphael ground out angrily, rubbing his tender jaw and making no attempt to drag himself off the floor.

"You punched her in the face! You scarred her for life! She could have lost her eye and been blinded!" Donatello accused, incredulous that his brother seemed to be making light of what he had done to Katherine.

"And before that we were fine." Raphael growled. "She was happy with me."

"Don't you dare try to diminish your actions towards her that night, Raph. And besides, you let your jealously of Leo get the better of you. You didn't trust her." Donatello callously accused.

"Heh. See, Donny that's where we're different. I never doubted her and I never doubted Leo, not really. I doubted myself. I just couldn't figure out what she saw in me, when Leo was so much better. And besides, you're one to talk. You're so worried that you can't satisfy her that you think she has to run to me to get her kicks." Raphael spat out ruthlessly.

Donatello was so stunned that he opened his mouth a few times, no words issuing from his parted lips before he launched himself at his brother slamming him into the ground, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of Raphael's shoulders.

"After all, that's what you think we've been doin', isn't it, Donny?" His brother gasped out as Donatello crushed the air from Raphael's lungs. "So who don't you trust, me or her?" Raphael questioned in a strained voice.

He looked at his brother in the eye. "I trust her." He said to his brother coolly.

"So it's me you don't trust." Raphael stated grimly.

Donatello shifted his eyes away from his brother and let out a huff of air before returning his gaze to his brother again. "I trust you, Raph. I don't think you two are having an affair." He finally managed to grind out as he pushed himself away from his brother, realizing that for some reason Raphael was trying to get under his skin.

"Anymore." His brother growled out. "So I might as well feel guilty for actually doing somethin', rather than feelin' guilty about not doin' nothin'." His brother told him bitterly.

Donatello bit back his angry retort at seeing the hurt and pain he saw rolling around in his brother's eyes and closed his own eyes in remorse. "You remember. You remember the night I accused you of going behind my back and sleeping with Katherine."

Raphael shrugged. "Not really, but I ain't deaf and I overheard you talkin with Mikey, trying to figure out how to fix what you messed up."

"You were in the shower." Donatello protested wondering how his brother had overheard him.

"I turned the shower on, doesn't mean I was in it. I heard you and then I went and talked with Kitten after I asked you and you wouldn't tell me what was going on. I asked her and she told me what had happened, so I backed way the hell off." Raphael ground out angrily as he struggled to his feet, batting away Donatello's helping hand, his amber eyes full of betrayal and anger. "I wouldn't do that to you and I wouldn't do that to her. You think I'd be happy with a little piece of tail from Katherine, while you got the whole deal? Hell no. I love her, which means I want all of her, body, heart and soul." Raphael ground out as the dim yellow light from the lamp cast a sickly yellow glow onto his brother's sweat drenched skin.

Donatello took a deep breath and tried to calm his rapidly beating heart and push down his unnecessary anger. "How much have you been drinking?" He asked his brother again. Trying to steer the conversation back to the more important topic at hand.

"Do you really think I've been drinking, Donny?" Raphael asked with a catch of hurt in his voice.

"Yes I do!" Donatello shot back. "Your liver is failing! Maybe me and Katherine being together is too much for you to handle, so you decided drowning your sorrows in alcohol; I don't know, Raph!" He shouted in frustration.

"I haven't touched a drop of the stuff since..." Raphael's voice stopped as his brother seemed to collect himself before continuing. "Do you really think that I would, even for a second, touch the stuff that was responsible for me losing the woman I love?" Raphael ground out, his voice rising slightly. "I have to go through the rest of my life knowin' that **I screwed up the best thing I have ever had**! I knew Kitten would move on, hell I know she's better off without me. But I never thought she'd start datin' my younger brother." He said as he clenched his fists together in anger and looked away. "Does it hurt watching you two together, hell yes, but I know I don't deserve her." Raphael turned his head so he was looking at Donatello in the eyes again. "I don't drink, Donny, ever. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" Raphael roared with grief, his words catching in his mouth as he double over coughing before he fell to his knees.

Donatello rushed to his brother's side, guilt flowing through him as he realized he had not only punched and attacked his sick brother, but he had also aggravated his brother's condition further. "Raph, just let me help you." He said as Raphael tried pulling away while trying to catch a breath in-between raw, hacking coughs. He managed to get Raphael back to the bed, Raphael's face turning an alarming shade of darker green.

"Come on, Raph, breathe." Donatello urged in panic as he gently began rubbing soft, comforting circles over his brother's carapace.

Raphael finally managed to get his lungs working again as Donatello looked on with worry and taking up his pen light and made his brother open his mouth. Raphael's tongue was a sickly yellowish-white, but Donatello saw that the top layer of his brother's tongue, right in the center, had been stripped away; most likely from the amount of stomach acid his brother had been vomiting up. The coughing fit had probably been the result of irritation to the lungs and throat caused by Raphael yelling for the last several minutes.

"I'm sorry, Raph." Donatello apologized though he didn't know what he was apologizing for; dating Katherine, attacking Raphael, accusing him of sleeping with Katherine, the hurtful things he had said, or accusing him of being an alcoholic drunk; But he was probably apologizing for all of them.

"Old news, Donny." Raphael croaked out as he winced in pain, clutching at his head with one hand and rubbing his throat with the other. "And I'm sorry too." His brother apologized quietly.

Donatello sighed and sat in the chair by his brother's bed after he had settled his brother back down in the bed. "Even if you haven't been drinking the damage may already have been done or it was caused by something else like and infection or trauma. You are suffering renal failure, but there are things you can do that will help your liver get better." Donatello said gently. "Liver disease is manageable. If you haven't had any alcohol then that is a good start, cut back on your salt intake and eat a healthier diet."

"Donny, if I eat any healthier I'll be a rabbit. Kitten doesn't let any of us eat crap." Raphael grumbled drowsily, the exertions of the past few minutes tiring his brother out.

"Maybe Donatello is wrong." Katherine's controlled voice quietly drifted over Donatello's shoulder.

Donatello's head whipped around in shock, surprised that he hadn't heard Katherine enter the room, since the door had been shut.

"Raphael." Katherine exclaimed as she rushed to Raphael's side, kneeling beside the bed. "Your skin." She whispered as she picked up Raphael's hand and held it gently in her own.

Donatello looked at Raphael's hand and looked at the yellowish light of the lamp. He clicked on his penlight, the pure while light illuminating his brother's yellow tinged green face. Donatello turned the penlight off and grimaced at his own blindness in believing the yellow light from the lamp was what had caused the change in his brother's skin colour.

He looked at Katherine who looked back at him steadily, a book still clutched in her hand. "I don't think it's liver disease, Donatello." She said evenly, a hint of anger in her voice.

Donatello couldn't even hazard a guess as to why Katherine was angry, but Donatello felt his own anger, which was still simmering just below the surface, begin to boil at her challenge of his diagnosis.

"Katherine, liver disease is curable." He said patiently as he reined in his temper. He didn't want her thinking that his brother was in a worse situation than he actually was. Liver disease was not a good medical condition to have, but considering the other options it wasn't the worst thing Raphael could have either. His brother would get better, that was the important part.

"Alcohol induced liver disease, Donatello?" She asked incredulously with a sharp edge of rage in her voice.

Donatello swallowed down his horror as he realized that Katherine had overheard his initial accusation and his and Raphael's entire conversation afterwards. He reviewed his and his brother's words and concluded that there were things he wished she hadn't overheard.

She continued, ignoring his sudden shame filled discomfort. "And if the cure for liver disease is to stop drinking and eat healthy then why is he sick now?" She asked insistently.

Donatello closed his eyes hanging his head in shame as he rubbed tired fingers across his flushed face. "I'm sorry Katherine, I didn't...we didn't..." He attempted to stammer out an apology.

"Donatello, there is a nice little idiom; eavesdroppers never hear any good of themselves, though to be fair I wasn't eavesdropping, since I could hear you two fighting from all the way down the hall." She ground out angrily. "So I wasn't so much eavesdropping as being unable to avoid hearing an extremely unpleasant conversation where you both said some very inappropriate things." Katherine said steadily.

"Kitten..." Raphael began as she turned bright, pale, leaf green, eyes on Raphael. Raphael snapped his mouth shut on his apology and shrank into his covers as Katherine turned her attention back and forth between them.

"So I am going to pretend that I didn't hear any of that testosterone filled, pissing contest." She harshly bit out the words before letting her focus land upon Donatello, who shifted uncomfortably in his chair under her piercing, pale gaze. "I will instead focus on the question; why is Raphael _so _sick _now_?" Katherine asked bitingly.

"I don't know!" Donatello snapped in frustration, his anger flaring at her challenge. "I don't know, okay!" He repeated in a snarl as he leapt to his feet.

Katherine stood slowly, letting go of Raphael's hand. "Then maybe your diagnosis is wrong." Katherine pointed out in a gentle, reasonable voice that for some reason grated on his already frayed nerves.

"I'm not wrong." He snapped. "He has every symptom, maybe the cirrhosis is more advanced..." He began as Katherine cut him off.

"Donatello, why are you so determined that it be alcohol induced liver disease? Raphael isn't a heavy drinker, and from what I understand Raphael would have to have consumed large amounts of alcohol for at least two decades..." Katherine insisted as Donatello cut her off.

"In humans." He pointed out harshly. "We have no idea the effects alcohol has on our systems!" Donatello's anger was back. He was angry at his brother again for putting them through this because of his bad habits.

"Donatello..." Katherine tried again but Donatello found he didn't want to listen, because if his brother didn't have liver disease it meant that he probably had something far worse. And he was telling Katherine the truth, they didn't know what the effects of short or long term alcohol use would have on their systems.

"Raph probably drank for well over ten years." He defended. "He's 29 years old..."

"Donatello..." She began as he cut her off again.

"Katherine you aren't the doctor, I am. Raph will get better." He insisted angrily.

"Actually, I am the only official doctor in this room." Katherine said in a low voice that contained all the warmth of an arctic chill.

Donatello opened his mouth to refute her claim except she had finally finished her doctorate in Archaeology. He snapped his mouth shut. He realized then that he was acting like a petulant child.

He closed his eyes and took a deep calming breath, realizing that he was taking out all of his frustration on Katherine. "I'm sorry, Katherine." He apologized.

"I know you are worried, Donatello, but worrying and snapping at me is not going to help Raphael." Katherine said gently, her eyes softening.

"I know." He said with a curt nod of understanding. Donatello looked over at Raphael and saw that his brother had fallen asleep sometime during their argument.

He sat down heavily in the chair by the bed and stared at his brother's yellowish-green face. Worry ran through him like a cold river filled with seething dread. Donatello swallowed down his worry and his fear and began going through his list of ailments a second time.

Sometime during this seemingly futile exercise he must have nodded off. His eyes slowly opened and he looked at his brother who tossed and turned fitfully in his sleep, moaning softly.

Donatello checked his brother's temperature with his hand and found his fever to be as high if not higher that it was a few hours ago.

Donatello stood and stretched, making his way to the bathroom. He used the toilet and washed his hands. He walked from the bathroom and after taking a look at his brother left his brother's room to go and check on Katherine. He wasn't sure where she had gone. He turned on the hallway light and checked their room first. He found Katherine curled into a ball and sleeping, but woke upon him opening the door.

"He's unchanged." He hastened to reassure her as she sat up, looking at him with wide, worried eyes. She relaxed slightly and nodded, sliding from the bed.

She walked into his open arms and he held her close. "Thank you, for being you." He told her softly. He knew that very few women would put up with what he had been dolling out for the past few days.

She gave an indelicate snort as an answer. "I love you too, Donatello." She said as she pulled back enough so that he could give her a searing kiss that made his body crave her touch. He didn't care how tired he was, or how worried he was, he wanted her right there and then. He wanted to lose himself in her completely for an hour and not think about anything but how many times he could make her scream out his name.

"Katherine!" Raphael's panicked voice screamed from just down the hall. Katherine looked at Donatello in shock as they both darted from the room.

Raphael was standing in the hallway leaning against the door frame of his room. As soon as Raphael spotted Katherine he stumbled towards her. His brother was shaking so badly Donatello was amazed Raphael was able to stand let alone walk.

"Raph!" Donatello yelped in alarm as he reached Raphael's side the same moment Katherine did. His brother ignored him, only having eyes for Katherine.

"You're still here." Raphael whispered as he stepped close to her.

"Of course I..." She began but Raphael began talking, cutting her off.

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry." Raphael whispered as if he had never thought to see her again. He reached out and grabbed Katherine's hands in his own. "I can't...I don't...Donny can fix this." Raphael said desperately his eyes wide in panic as he brushed a finger across Katherine's scarred left cheek leaving a streak of blood across the pale, velvety surface.

"Raph, are you hurt, where did the blood come from?" Donatello asked his brother anxiously as he stepped closer, but his brother completely ignored his presence. It was as if Raphael couldn't even hear him.

"Too much blood." Raphael mumbled in horror as he wrapped his arms around Katherine pulling her tightly against his burning plastron. "Donny can stitch it closed and it won't even leave a scar." Raphael insisted desperately his voice shaking with emotion as he valiantly blinked back tears. "I messed up, I know I did. I messed up bad and I know you hate me and are scared of me, but I never meant to hurt you. I would never hurt you. I know I don't deserve you." He shook his head from side to side as Katherine looked at Raphael with tear filled eyes brimming with fear and worry. "I swear I won't touch another drop of alcohol ever again, just...just...Please don't leave me! I need you too much." His brother wailed in despair. "Please, please. I can't lose you. I love you more than life itself. You mean everything to me. I can't imagine my life without you by my side." Raphael's voice broke at that moment.

It was then that Donatello realized that his brother was delirious. Raphael thought that he and Katherine were back in the lair the fateful night when Raphael had fought with Leonardo and accidentally punched Katherine, slicing open her cheek with his sai; coming dangerously close to blinding Katherine in one eye.

And now they were witnessing the apology that Raphael had never been able to give to Katherine because of Leonardo's actions in getting Katherine away from the lair as fast as he could to a nearby hospital where she had been admitted and treated.

Katherine had already come to this conclusion, sooner that Donatello had. "Raphael..." Katherine said with a hitch of emotion in her voice as Raphael pulled back just enough to claim her lips in a searing, desperate, passionate, love filled kiss.

Too many emotions flooded through Donatello; anger, fear and jealousy all warred within him in a swirling torrent of emotions that rocked him to the very core of his soul. His skin prickled with a cold that had nothing to do with the temperature as sparks of adrenalin shot through him.

And although all of these feeling and emotions tore through him like a never-ending tidal wave, Donatello remained immobile and frozen, like the lone member of an audience watching a movie where he was unable to change the actions or events of the actors. And so he just stood by and watched as Raphael kissed Donatello's girlfriend.

Katherine's eyes had slid closed as she responded to his brother's kiss, almost as if she was caught up in the moment of his brother's delirium herself. She opened her eyes and gently pulled away, tears threatening to fall as she blinked them back. She reached a hand up and brushed it tenderly across Raphael's forehead. She pulled her hand away and showed her fingers to Donatello. They were bright red. It was then Donatello realized that his brother was sweating blood.

All feelings of jealousy and hurt were replaced with fear and horror at the sight of the blood smeared across Katherine's fingers. "It's not liver disease." He whispered in dread, his voice shaking with emotion.

Raphael blinked and looked down at Katherine, his eyes sharpening with clarity as he lost his look of delirium. Raphael's yellow- green skin paled even further as he continued looking down at her in horror as he shot a fear filled, horrified glance at Donatello.

Raphael opened his arms and stepped back looking at his bloody hands in unrestrained horror as he looked back at Katherine's blood streaked face, hands and shoulders. Raphael looked at her as if the blood were hers and that Raphael had been the one who inflicted her supposed injuries. "What did I do? Raphael whispered in terror. "Oh God, what did I do!" Raphael roared as he stumbled back falling to the ground and scrambling backwards as fast as he could, his carapace hitting against the wall.

Raphael looked at his bloody hands as if they had somehow betrayed him. "I'm a monster." Raphael whispered in self loathing, his breathing becoming quick, gasping and ragged.

His brother was beginning to hyperventilate. Donatello and Katherine both rushed to Raphael's side. His brother made himself as small as he could, his body trembling, his breathing too fast.

"Raph, calm down." Donatello told his brother as he lightly touched his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Raphael shouted as he flinched back from Donatello's touch. "I hurt her again... I hurt her again. Donny, I didn't mean...I don't know what I did...I...I don't remember. I don't understand!" He stammered as tears began to stream down Raphael's face as he shook his head from side to side in anguish filled despair.

"Raphael..." Katherine tried to touch Raphael's shoulder but he flinched as if her gentle touch burned him.

"Haven't I done enough to you!" Raphael yelled at her. Raphael's gaze shot to Donatello." Donny...I hurt you too." Raphael's voice became small and frightened.

Donatello looked down at himself and saw the blood on his hands and shirt from Raphael's sweat.

"Raph..." Donatello said sternly needing for his brother to calm down, but his brother was beyond listening.

"I'm a monster, Leo's right. I'm a monster. I never deserved her. I never deserved forgiveness." Raphael howled looked at his bloodstained hands again as he began rocking back and forth repeating over and over again that he was a monster.

Katherine grabbed Raphael's head and pulled his face towards her so that he would have to look at her in the eyes. She brought Raphael's face close. "You aren't a monster, Raphael, you never were and you never will be." She said firmly not allowing his brother to pull his face away though he did try to break her hold. "You have changed since that day. Monsters don't change, they get worse, that is why they are called monsters. The blood is yours, Raphael, not mine, not Donatello's. You are sweating blood."

But Donatello didn't know if his brother could hear her anymore, his rapid breathing was becoming strained and his quivering had become more violent. Raphael's eyes went blank as he started to shake violently. Katherine let go of Raphael's face as his brother slumped to the floor, white foam pouring from his mouth as his eyes rolled up into the back of his head.

"He's seizing!" Donatello shouted in panic as he and Katherine attempted to hold his brother's thrashing body down. The minutes ticked by and still his brother's body was wracked with violent spasms. Every minute that passed the greater the chances of brain damage and death.

Terror and dread filled Donatello, his heart clenching in agony as he prayed desperately for his brother to stop seizing and to live.

His brother's body finally stilled abruptly and Donatello swallowed down the lump in his throat so that he could call out his brother's name. "Raph?" He called to his brother gently. His brother's eyes had slid closed, his body disturbingly still. "Raph!" He tried again desperately as his hand quickly flew and checked his brother's throat for a pulse, praying that his brother was still somehow alive.

He stilled in disbelief as he felt nothing beneath his finger tips. He felt the air squeezed from his lungs as grief and denial filled him. He lay his head on his brother's chest hoping to hear even a faint beat but heard nothing. "Come on, Raph, don't you dare do this to me." Donatello begged quietly as the seconds ticked by. Donatello felt tears well up in his eyes and run down his cheeks in sorrow and grief. He dimly wondered how he was ever going to be able to break the news to his brothers about Raphael's sudden death. Donatello closed his eyes in anguish at the thought that his brother's hadn't even been able to say goodbye, and that his own last moments with his brother had been filled with harsh accusations and anger.

He took a deep shuddering breath about to raise his head off his brother's motionless plastron when he heard something, a faint thump beneath his cheek that was followed closely by another.

His throat closed up in relief as more tears rolled down his already damp cheeks. Donatello slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Katherine's grief filled face.

"He's still alive." He managed to choke out. "But..." Donatello felt his brother's forehead which still burned hotly. "His fever is way too high. With the seizure and the fever he...it may have caused permanent brain damage." He told Katherine as he shook his brother's sweat drenched shoulder, trying to wake him. His brother did not respond, his head rolling limply to the side.

He pulled out his penlight and peeled back his brother's eyelids, looking for a pupil response and finding none. He looked at Katherine whose green eyes were wide with terror, tears shimmering on her wet, blood smeared cheeks.

"He...he's in a coma." He croaked out to her in numb disbelief.

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**NOOOO! RAPH!**

** I am soo evil.;)**

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for Beta reading this chapter for me!**

**Also a big thank you to I love kittens too, mela989898 and Forgottenforever for your lovely reviews.**

**Also I apologize for the short chapter, but it seemed like a good place to end it.:)**

**Please enjoy!**

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Chapter 6

**Donatello** watched the storm rage outside. The winds had to be going somewhere in the range of about 100km/h, which wasn't quite a hurricane, but a really violent tropical storm.

"Stupid storm." He growled in frustration, his cell phone pressed close to his ear as it rang and rang, voicemail finally kicking in. He left a brief message and snapped his cell phone closed in irritation. He had left Leonardo his fifth message, and Michelangelo his fourth. Donatello wasn't sure if he was unable to get a hold of his two brother's because they were camping in a place that had no signal, or if it was because of the ferocious storm that raged outside. His signal had been tentative at best, so if the messages on the other end didn't record as a static mess, Donatello would be very surprised.

Donatello shoved his useless phone into his pocket and dipped a cloth into a cool basin of water to dab at his brother's sweat laden brow.

"Come on, Raph, wake up, please." He begged his brother softly as his brother continued to lay on his bed, unresponsive. His brother had been in a coma since last night, and Donatello was no closer to discovering why, his brother had experienced a violent seizure and slipped into a coma; though he could acknowledge to himself that the 106˚ temperature Raphael had may have played a large part in both.

Donatello felt his shoulder slump slightly as he stood, taking the water basin with him to the bathroom. He dumped out the warm water and refilled the basin with cool water. He walked back into the bedroom and placed a cool cloth on Raphael's sweat beaded forehead.

Donatello didn't resume his seat, and instead left his brother's bedside in search of Katherine. He hadn't seen her since they had dragged Raphael's comatose body back into the bedroom and lay him gently on the bed. Donatello hadn't followed her when she had left the room. He hadn't known what to say to her, what words of assurance he could give her, because she had been right. His brother didn't have cirrhosis, which meant that Donatello had no idea what the hell was wrong with his brother.

He searched the entire house finally finding Katherine in the massive library, sitting on the floor surrounded by teetering piles of books. Donatello wasn't sure if she had been to bed yet or if she had spent the entire night, reading. Though he vaguely recalled that she had been reading a book earlier.

He walked up to Katherine and if she was aware of his presence she didn't acknowledge him until she tossed her book on top of another pile and picked up a different book. She looked up at him as he bent down picking up one of the discarded books and frowned at it in confusion.

"How is he, Donatello?" Katherine questioned softly.

Donatello looked at her and felt his heart clench in grief. Her face was pale; so pale that the delicate lines of her veins were faintly visible. Dark smudges of purple lay beneath her tired eyes and her hair fell out from its ponytail in a mass of tangled, curly tendrils.

"No change." He managed to say as she nodded slightly; her face filled with worry and fear.

He picked up another book and examined the title. _The Rake's Reluctant Lover_. He felt his lips pull into more of a frown as his eyes scanned the piles of nearby books. _The Devil's Bride_, _The Nabob, The Kissing Bough, The Rake's Folly and The Lion's Mistress,_ were only a few of the titles in the piles of paperbacks that lined the floor.

Donatello blinked in confusion as he looked at the piles of romance books. Katherine was a reader and a fast one. She would, at times, be reading several different books at the same time. Donatello found this odd, but her love of books he found relaxing.

She could sit and read while he tinkered and they would both spend several hours in a comfortable silence. Her interests seemed to vary, she liked fantasy and some science fiction, but she would read almost anything as long as it sounded interesting, though she tended to stay away from non-fictions and biographies. But he had never once seen her read a romance, and the fact that she had been reading so many in such a short amount of time sent a shot of worry and panic through him, that he was hard pressed to ignore.

"What are you doing?" He asked her quietly, a slight waver in his voice. He realized then that he needed to sleep. His nerves were completely shot and he was starting to jump to conclusions like Katherine needed to read romance books because she was unhappy with their current relationship. He had always thought that she was happy, with him, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe he had been fooling himself. He tried to remember if there were any times where he had ignored her, or forgotten something important.

"Do you have any idea what could have caused Raphael to become so sick?" She asked instead of answering his question.

"No." He said miserably. The problem was it could be one of many different possible diseases or infections, but he was unable to test his brother properly to confirm any of his suspicions.

"I'm looking for something." Katherine muttered, finally answering his question . She tossed another book onto a quickly growing pile, grabbed another book, and quickly read the back before opening the book and scanning its contents.

"What are you looking for?" He wondered.

"Something." She answered vaguely before continuing. "I remember reading something years ago in one of these books. But I don't quite know what I'm looking for."

He wondered briefly if she were trying to find a solution to a messy love triangle involving two brothers, one of whom was extremely sick. Instead he observed, "I didn't know you read romance books, Katherine."

That seemed to get her attention again as she looked up at him, he cheeks reddening slightly in embarrassment.

"I actually enjoy romances." She answered, her cheeks growing redder. "But I only like the Regency ones." Donatello felt himself frown in confusion as she clarified. "It was a brief time in British history the early 1800's, when Prince George IV took over as Regent for his father who had gone mad. So this was just before Queen Victoria's reign. Anyway the characters inhabit a world of decadence, elegance, manners, restrictions , rules, high society, seductions." She halted her words at what must have been a shocked, confused and possibly disgusted look on his face. "And adventure and the war with Napoleon Bonaparte." She finished quietly. She waved this away and continued. "Anyway, I used to read them all the time because they were pretty brainless, they satisfied the hopeless romantic in me, and the part of myself that craved the adventure of a different world." She paused for a moment before adding. "And they are hilarious." She said with an impish smile. "If you ever want to sit and laugh your ass off for a few hours, read a romance, well this kind anyway. They actually have a plot besides seeing how fast both main characters can end up in the sack together."

He fingered one of the romances, feeling confused. Katherine quickly snatched the book he held in his grasp and looked at the title.

"_The Nabob_." Katherine said thoughtfully. "The society of the time used to call rich men, usually younger sons, but sometimes men without any peerage who came back to England from India, Nabobs. But during this period this term seemed to include other rich men coming from say the Caribbean where the English had turned Jamaica into one of the world's top sugar producing countries of that time." Katherine's eyes furiously scanned the pages, flipping through them rapidly.

Donatello was still unsure of what Katherine was looking for in the romance book. Sometimes, he admitted to himself, he did not understand how Katherine's mind actually worked. He frowned as he thought about what Katherine had just told him, a thought blooming in his mind as Katherine's eyes looked at him wide eyed.

"The Caribbean." He said in shock as his mind spun furiously.

"Yellow Fever." Katherine said quickly showing him the passage in the book where a male character was talking about a friend of his who had died during a yellow fever epidemic and the symptoms they had suffered before their death.

He looked at Katherine in shock but she was already standing at a bookshelf scanning the books and tearing one form the shelves and flipping it to the back before turning it to the appropriate page and shoving the book into his hands.

He quickly read the title of the book_. The Documentation and Treatment of Tropical Diseases by Dr. Conrad Everly 1726_. He turned it back to the page that she had indicated that he should read. The cramped blue ink, slightly slanted and written with what looked like a quill tipped pen listed the symptoms of Yellow Fever, but Donatello didn't need the book. He already knew what the symptoms of Yellow fever were. He closed the delicate book and handed it back to Katherine, resisting the urge to palm slap his forehead.

They were on a tropical island. There were numerous tropical diseases that he normally wouldn't have to worry about because they had never before traveled to a tropical destination. "I am such an idiot!" Donatello snarled, suddenly angry with himself for completely disregarding the possibility of environmental factors contributing to Raphael's sudden sickness.

"Donatello." Katherine said gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He pulled his shoulder away angrily.

"I should have figured this out sooner." He snapped . He began to pace furiously as he double checked Katherine's surprise diagnosis from what he knew about the disease. His mind also ran over the signs and symptoms of other tropical diseases that were active in the area and quickly discarded, Malaria, Dengue Fever, Leptospirosis and a host of others before finally settling on Yellow fever as being what his brother had contracted.

"Donatello, the important part is that we know what he has now." Katherine insisted with a relieved smile. "So maybe I can go to Saint Luca and get Raphael some medicine...

Donatello felt his shoulders slump and he shook his head cutting her off. "Katherine, there is no cure for Yellow Fever." His words left her stunned, and if possible, she paled even further.

"But...he'll get better...right?" She asked him in a soft voice.

Donatello paused wondering how much to tell Katherine until his pause caused her eyes to take on a steely glint of determination that made him decide to tell her everything he knew about Yellow Fever. "After being bitten by an infected mosquito, most people come down with flu like symptoms for a few days and then recover." Donatello explained. Katherine nodded because Raphael had gotten sick and then had gotten better.

"But...?" Katherine asked him when he failed to continue immediately.

Donatello continued, his voice shaking slightly."Raphael has slipped into stage three of Yellow Fever. The first two stages are infection and then recovery, but stage three is intoxication. Stage three sufferers can experience liver and kidney failure, bleeding disorders, seizures, coma, and delirium. Other symptoms include, fever, headaches, yellow skin, muscle aches and vomiting."

"So what do we do?" She asked, following him from the library as he strode out, intent upon seeing his brother and praying for a miraculous improvement.

"Nothing." He ground out. "There is nothing we can do!" He snarled angrily. "All we can do is make him comfortable and hope the disease doesn't kill him."

Katherine grabbed his arm pulling him to a halt, one foot poised on the stairs. He looked down at her angrily, a snarl already on his lips.

"Why are you so angry?" She asked him.

"Because I should have figured this out sooner!" He snapped, gesturing with his hand. "Why didn't you tell me what you were looking for?" He asked most of his anger directed at himself, but a slight amount was directed towards Katherine. "If you knew it could have been a tropical disease, why didn't you just tell me?"

"I didn't know it was a tropical disease!" She defended. "Besides, I wasn't sure if I would even be able to find the book I was looking for. I read it nearly five years ago and I remembered that some of the symptoms sounded kind of like what Raphael had, but I wasn't sure. And you never told me what Raphael _could _have to begin with! You seemed to think that I was what, unable to handle what Raphael could be sick with? You decided to keep everything to yourself, and didn't trust me enough to be able to handle your theories." Katherine accused.

Donatello glared down at her, his temper completely snapping. "My brother is upstairs dying, and all you seem to care about is that I didn't tell you a bunch of wrong diagnosis'."

Katherine's voice seemed to have deserted her as she stared at him in shock, her mouth opening and closing a few times before she closed her mouth with a snap, her green eyes lightening to near white with rage. He turned and felt Katherine tug his arm back. She stepped onto the step he occupied.

"I have never before felt like slapping you, but right now, I think you would deserve it. Come and talk to me when you decide to stop acting like a child just because I figured out something that you didn't." She walked past him making her way up the stairs throwing over her shoulder. "And if there is nothing we can do for Raphael, then an earlier diagnosis would not have changed the present outcome." She reached the landing and disappeared down the hallway, most likely to his brother's room.

Donatello dragged tired fingers down his face and resisted the urge to go and kick something, preferably something that would make a satisfying, smashing sound when he hit it. He wondered briefly if this was the way Raphael felt all of the time and was in awe of his brother's new found self control. Thought of his brother turned his attention back to Katherine's words.

He slowly made his way up the stairs, knowing that Katherine was completely right in her accusations. He hadn't wanted to tell her of his diagnosis because he didn't want to worry her if he was wrong. But because he had withheld the information he hadn't allowed Katherine to help him. Donatello was just so used to working on every problem alone, that he hadn't actually believed that Katherine would be _able_ to help him. And then he had acted like a child when she diagnosed his brother correctly before him.

He reached the landing and slowly walked into his brother's room. Katherine was bathing his brother's fevered brow with the same cloth he had been using earlier, though the water in the basin was probably fresh.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. Katherine looked at him over his shoulder. There were tears in her eyes that she was fiercely trying to blink back.

She stood and walked around to the other side of the bed that lay close to the window. She stared at the storm that raged outside for a few moments before speaking. " I managed to get a brief internet signal and I found out that there is a severe tropical storm making its way through the area, no hurricane warning yet though." She told him softly. She turned and face him then, seeming to have gotten herself under some sort of control. "Just because I am not as smart as you, Donatello does not mean I can't help you. And just because I am a girl and Raphael is my ex, it doesn't mean I am unable to handle..." She took a shaky breath and continued. "To handle what's happening to him." She finished quietly.

Donatello nodded. "I know." He said as he took another step into the room. He wanted to rush to her side and pull her into him and forget every hurtful word he had said, but knew that Katherine was still too angry, and would not welcome him doing that until she had forgiven him. And judging from her eye color, she was still angry, and upset. She took a step nearer to Raphael's bed.

"Is he really dying?" She asked him softly.

Donatello shot a glance at his brother, who had not moved since they had entered the room. "I don't know." Donatello replied truthfully. "He's in a very bad way, that's all I know for certain."

Katherine gave a slight nod of understanding as she walked to the bed, brushing her hand tenderly across his brother's unresponsive cheek.

Donatello sighed as he felt the ever present surge of jealousy roll through him. He ignored it and took another step towards the bed, hoping that Katherine's anger would have abated by now.

It was then that Donatello's world shattered into a chaotic cacophony, filled with the sound of shattering glass, snapping beams of wood and Katherine's high pitched scream of terror as the ceiling suddenly caved in. Donatello launched himself forward, hoping to protect his brother and his girlfriend before his world went terrifyingly black, and unconsciousness dragged him forcefully down.

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**See I am evil:)**

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome**!


	7. Chapter 7

**A big giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter, lending her brain to let me pick, and for the great ideas! you rock!**

**Also a big thank you to moomie016 and mela989898 for your reviews!**

**please enjoy this next chapter!**

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Chapter 7

**Donatello** groaned in pain as his head throbbed uncomfortably and frigid water ran down his cheeks in small, icy torrents.

He lifted up his head and slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry with pain.

Terror filled memory came rushing back to him in a horrifying rush. He tried to lift himself up but found that he seemed to be pinned between a large tree and Raphael's bed.

Fear tore through him as he desperately searched for Katherine and Raphael, who he had hoped to protect with his body, but he hadn't made it in time to do so. He had made it to the bed, just as the tree broke through the window, knocking him unconscious before he had been able to place his body over Katherine and Raphael; the roof caving in with a deafening crash, plunging everything into darkness.

"Katherine!" He yelled over the roar of the wind and the whipping of the rain that assaulted him. He tried to wiggle out from between the tree and the bed frame that had been partially crushed to the floor. "Katherine!" He yelled again, his voice breaking in terror. He strained to hear over the storm that now raged within the confines of the spacious bedroom.

"Over here!" Katherine's strained voice managed to cut through the howling wind.

"Are you okay?" He shouted back to her, knowing that she was not far away, but she was obstructed from his sight by the massive branches, leaves and debris from what had caved in.

Silence greeted his question and he felt a fission of fear and worry run down his spine as he strained to listen.

"Raphael is fine." She shouted back at him. "Just a few minor scrapes and bruises."

Donatello felt a wave of relief roll through him at knowing that Raphael was not severely injured. But it was then Donatello realized that Katherine had not said that she was okay.

"Are you alright?" He yelled again over the steady roar of the wind and rain.

"I...I don't know!" She yelled back at him which only spurned him into more desperate action. He managed to move the soft bed frame enough, that he was able to finally manipulate himself from under the large trunk of the tree that was pinning his lower half down.

He stood and he had to catch himself as a dizzy spell hit him. He wondered briefly if he had gotten a concussion, but not really caring if he had. He knew he had to help Katherine and Raphael.

His vision seemed to clear a little more as he squinted through the icy rain that pelted down mercilessly upon his face and shoulders. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky as Donatello stumbled towards the carnage that littered the room.

"Katherine!" He called out desperately searching for her beneath the thick green foliage and bits of shattered timber and clay tile.

"Over here!" She shouted from his left, giving him a wave with one faintly seen arm.

Donatello ducked down, crawling through the branches of the tree. He realized that the bed had been crushed beneath the weight of the tree and twisted. Donatello's heart pounded painfully in his chest as his frenzied brain came up with horrific scenarios of what could have happened to Katherine. He snapped a heavy branch in front of him pulling it away and revealing Katherine curled up protectively around Raphael, her arms wrapped around his head and neck.

The bed being knocked on its side and twisted, had served as a shield against the weight of the tree and debris that had rained down, creating a protective lean-to of sorts for his comatose brother and girlfriend.

Donatello felt his shoulders sag with relief as his eyes quickly raked over her body and finding no obvious injuries offered Katherine his hand so that she could crawl out from the wreckage of the room.

Katherine looked at Donatello and winced in pain. "We have to get him out of here!" She shouted at him. That was when Donatello saw the blood on her back.

"Katherine!" He cried out in horror.

"I know, but we have to get Raphael out of here. Someplace dry, before he gets any worse!" Katherine shouted back.

Donatello swallowed down his protests because he knew Katherine was right. He needed to get them out of this room, try to board up the roof as best as he could, hope that the lower levels didn't flood, and that there wasn't too much damage in other parts of the massive mansion.

Donatello studied the maze of broken branches and destroyed roof before shouting at Katherine to move as far back as she could. Without waiting to see if she obeyed him he turned around and kicked as hard as he could, at one of the larger branches that blocked his path to Katherine and Raphael.

Donatello heard a satisfying snap as the branch broke cleanly. He turned quickly and pulled the branch out of his way. He then scrambled through the remaining debris and grabbed hold of Raphael, who Katherine had managed to maneuver into a slumped, upright position. This made it easier for Donatello to drag his comatose brother out from under the debris, Katherine following close behind him.

Katherine slid her shoulders under Raphael's other arm and they carefully made their way from the room, down the hall, and to the staircase. Slowly they made their way down to the lower level. They dragged Raphael into the living room but stopped abruptly when they saw that the tree that had crashed into the upper level of the house, had also damaged part of the roof and one wall of the lower level.

"The library." Katherine said as they turned around and made their way through the house and into the library. The room was dry, but the power appeared to be out, and Donatello had a feeling that this time, it was not just a blown fuse.

They hauled Raphael towards a small decorative love seat. His brother wouldn't be able to lay in it comfortably, but for the moment, it would do.

"Let me see your back." Donatello ordered as Katherine turned her back towards him. He crouched down to get a better look. The light was not the best but from what he was able to see, several large pieces of glass had embedded themselves into Katherine's flesh. Donatello needed a light and the first aid kit. "Okay, you have glass in your back, you're going to be fine, but you are going to need a few stitches." He told her as she nodded. "I'll be right back." He said as he stood up.

"Grab some bedding from the linen closet." She replied as he nodded and ran from the room. He dashed back up the steps to Raphael's room which is where the first aid kit and paramedics bag was. The bags had been close to the nightstand which was now crushed under debris and tree branches. His eyes frantically searched the chaos spotting at least one of the bags wedged under what was left of the night table. He quickly ran over to the table, and giving it a few good kicks, managed to drag both bags out.

He glanced up and took stock of the damage. Most of the room's ceiling had caved in, but the tree seemed to be providing a reasonable cover for the room, allowing in only a small amount of rain. Though the rain seemed to be petering off, which hopefully meant that the storm would be passing soon.

He took the two medical bags and darted down the hall to the linen closet, checking the other rooms along the way. A few of the bedrooms had shattered glass on the floor from debris flying through the windows, other rooms had cracks in the ceilings that were letting in slow leaks of water that dripped to the floor.

Donatello realized that none of the bedrooms were inhabitable, at least not until he had a better look. He grabbed a new shirt for Katherine from her room and grabbed an armful of blankets and sheets from the linen closet before rushing back to the library.

Katherine was still sitting on the couch, her blood stained back turned towards the door. Raphael was cradled in her lap with her arms around his neck, his head tucked into the crook of her shoulder. With one hand she gently stroked his cheek and hummed very softly to him.

Donatello ran the bedding over to the corner close to the fireplace, that was used more for decoration than practical use. He then ran back to Katherine's side and quickly checked his brother over for any injuries that they may have not noticed earlier, and found nothing but a few scrapes, bruises and shallow cuts. Donatello then turned his attention to Katherine's back. He pulled open his bag and holding his penlight in his mouth he began to cut Katherine's torn and blood stained shirt away from her injured back. Donatello assessed the damage and felt his shoulders sag with relief. Most of the cuts were superficial, but there was a three inch long gash and several shards of glass that needed to be removed. A few of the lacerations stitched closed.

"You are going to need a few stitches." He told Katherine gently as he pulled out his tweezers and deftly removed the shards of glass, dropping them into a small container next to him.

"It really bothers me that I can't see what you are doing." She told him as she began to look over her shoulder, but ended up wincing because she pulled the muscles of her back as she did so.

Donatello put a pad over the cluster of lacerations and smiled slightly. "Don't you trust me?" He asked before realizing that trust was a topic they had been dancing around for the last week.

"I trust you." She said without a moment's hesitation. "In everything. I trust you with my life, Donatello." She said softly.

This made Donatello feel all the more guilty about accusing Katherine of cheating on him, though he knew that when he had playfully asked if she trusted him, it was not this weighty subject to which he was referring.

Katherine continued, a slight smile in her voice. "I am just one of those people who can't stand _not _looking. It is oddly fascinating and disgusting at the same time. And to not be able to see when something sharp goes into my skin, it just bothers me." She said and began to shrug but managed to stop herself. She then stroked her hand across Raphael's forehead which brought Donatello's attention back to his brother.

Donatello felt his heart sink into his stomach with dread. He already knew that his brother's temperature had not changed within the last few moments. Raphael was still too warm, but there was nothing he could do to help his brother. The only thing he could do was to make him as comfortable as possible, hope that his temperature went down soon; and pray that his brother managed to survive his ordeal without brain damage.

Donatello turned his attention back to Katherine's injuries and began the process of cleaning the wounds and giving her ten stitches. She flinched a few times as he inserted the needle into her skin. He had tried to warn her that the needle was coming, but that just seemed to make it worse. So he quit warning her and just completed his task as quickly and efficiently as he could.

He helped Katherine move Raphael enough so that she could remove her ruined shirt and put on the fresh one he had brought her. "So what's the damage?" Katherine asked as she finished pulling on her shirt.

Donatello explained to her that the upstairs bedrooms were off limits and Katherine just nodded. Donatello rested Raphael against Katherine again as he laid out the bedding and blankets on the floor in front of the fire place.

"I suppose it's lucky that the tree only damaged the upper level and the living room." She said as she stood. Donatello stood as well hauling Raphael up with him. Katherine slid herself under his brother's other arm and they helped him over to the bed that Donatello had created for themselves.

Katherine was right of course. The only thing on the upper lever were the 5 bedrooms and three bathrooms; one bathroom for each master suite -there were two- and a shared one in the hall for the three other bedrooms.

They gently lay Raphael down on their makeshift bed and Katherine sat down beside his brother, stroking one of Raphael's cheeks tenderly.

"He's still so hot." She said to him. Donatello nodded grimly. "We'll strip him down, and try to get his temperature down. "Can you grab some towels and some ice while I hook the generator up?" He asked her.

"The house already has a back-up generator. The one you fixed was from before the new one was wired in. There is a switch in the utility room." Katherine said as she stood. "I'll get us all some dry clothes." She said as she took one more worried glance at his brother before they both left the library.

Donatello was just thankful that they had a backup generator already hooked up into the house. Otherwise it would take him a while to hook up the one he had found in the shed, and he didn't want all of their food to spoil, and he needed the light to monitor his brother.

The library was a two story room in the center of the house. It had no windows except for the skylights in the ceiling, and they did not allow enough light in at the moment.

Donatello left Katherine in the hallway as she darted upstairs, while he walked to the utility room and flicked the switch. He made sure the breakers were all off before powering up the secondary panel and switching all of the breakers back on.

On the way back he managed to meet up with Katherine in the kitchen. She was placing a large metal bowl under the ice maker and filling it with ice.

He took the bowl from her grasp and placed it on the table as she looked at him in confusion. He wrapped her gently in his arms then, just breathing in the soft scent of her, and allowing the warmth of her body to heat his own cold skin. He closed his eyes and just held her, wanting to let her know how much he loved her. How glad he was that she was okay and that she was amazing. But he couldn't seem to find the words so he just contented himself with holding the woman he loved in his arms for a brief moment, before reality intruded and he had to try to do everything he could to keep his brother alive.

He pulled away finally and gave her a kiss that was all too brief. But they had already both been away from Raphael for too long already.

"I love you too, Donatello." She told him softly. He stroked the scar across her cheek gently and gave what he hoped was a brave, reassuring smile. He wanted to tell her that Raphael was going to be fine, but he couldn't allow himself to lie to her or himself. All they could do was wait, and hope that he improved.

They made their way back to the library and began the process of bringing Raphael's temperature down by covering his body with ice for twenty minutes, then removing it and repeating the process. Unfortunately Raphael's temperature remained the same and after a while they concentrated on just keeping him comfortable.

Donatello rubbed his tired eyes. He had been trying to stay awake, but was finding it hard to keep a vigil over his deathly ill brother as evening had crept up on them. Katherine was curled up next to Raphael on the floor sleeping, while Donatello sat in one of the leather, cherry red wing chairs that sat around the fireplace. He stood and walked over to his brother, placing his cold hand upon his brother's sweat laden, fevered brow.

"Raph." Donatello began softly. He hoped that his voice wouldn't wake Katherine up. She was generally a light sleeper, but she was exhausted, and had fought against falling asleep but had failed in the end to keep her eyes open. "I'm sorry. For everything, I am so, so sorry." Donatello swallowed before continuing. "You have to fight. You have to wake up, please!" Donatello watched his brother intently hoping that he would wake up or move or do anything, but Raphael didn't stir.

"He'll forgive you, Donatello." Katherine's soft voice broke through the silence of the room.

Donatello nearly jumped out of his shell at the sound of her voice, but managed to nod at Katherine's words instead; even though he was not comforted by them one bit.

"You apologized for what you said, and Raphael apologized to you for what _he _said. There is nothing left to apologize for." Katherine said to him, standing and motioning for him to move and take up her spot on the floor.

He reluctantly straightened and walked over to Raphael, laying down next to him and gently holding his brother's hand in his own. Donatello could feel the heat radiating off of his brother's body. His only solace at the moment was that Raphael was not any worse. If Raphael's temperature climbed any higher, his brother would die.

Donatello watched as Katherine curled into the chair being careful of the right side of her back where the stitches were located. Donatello closed his eyes tightly and tried to stamp out the cloying guilt that assaulted him. It was an old guilt, but one that he was never able to banish.

Ever so softly, too quiet for Katherine to hear him, he told her what he was apologizing for. "I can never apologize enough for loving you, and dating you, even though Raph is still in love with you." He whispered.

The scene in the hallway replayed in his mind over and over again; Raphael kissing Katherine and begging her to never leave him. But Raphael had never been able to apologize until it had been too late, because by the time Raphael could apologize, Donatello had already stolen Katherine's heart. Though he knew there was a saying that you could not steal what did not want to be stolen, it still did not lessen any of the guilt he felt towards his brother. There was nothing he could ever say or do that would make things better. The only thing he could have done was not date Katherine in the first place. But that had not been an option, because he had loved her too much to let her go; Which just proved what kind of brother he really was.

Donatello's only solace had been the fact that Katherine had been genuinely happy with him. Donatello had wanted Raphael to see that she was happy and in good hands, and to know that he would take care of her and never hurt her. Only... he had hurt her.

Donatello pushed his tumultuous thoughts from his mind and finally managed to grab a few hours of sleep lying next to Raphael.

* * *

**Donatello** placed the spoon in Raphael's mouth and tried to get his brother to swallow as much of the broth as he could. It had been five days and Donatello was beginning to think his brother was never going to wake up. And if his brother didn't wake up soon he was going to die of dehydration.

Donatello couldn't help the tears of frustration, grief, and hopelessness that ran down his cheeks. He had tried to get a hold of Leonardo and Michelangelo several times, but had only managed to get their voicemail. Donatello wasn't worried about his two other siblings, but he had wanted to hear Leonardo's calm and reassuring voice and Michelangelo's optimistic outlook on life. Katherine was helping, but he had been desperate to get a hold of his brothers.

The storm had passed a few days ago, which was good. Donatello had assessed the damage on the upper floor and concluded that two of the bedrooms were inhabitable. They had moved Raphael back upstairs into the master suite that he and Katherine had occupied. The room that Katherine's cousin Holly had used was also usable, not that it had been used. Katherine refused to leave Raphael's room in case he woke up, or got worse, and Donatello wasn't leaving his brother's side either.

Unfortunately, besides Raphael's continued comatose state and Donatello being unable to contact Leonardo and Michelangelo, Katherine had received word that the plane that was supposed to pick them up today, was unable to do so. The plane had been parked in a hanger that had been hit by the same tropical storm that had hit them. The runway had flooded and the hanger that housed the plane had collapsed, causing major damage to the aircraft. This meant that this shifted all of the scheduled dates forward. Their new scheduled was not going to be for another ten days... if they were lucky.

This news had hit Donatello like a punch to the stomach. He knew there was nothing he could do for Raphael that he wasn't already doing, but at least back at home there was a stockpile of saline bags that would keep Raphael hydrated. At this point Donatello was worried that it wouldn't be the Yellow Fever that killed his brother, but dehydration or starvation.

Raphael had already begun to lose a lot of weight, and Donatello was only able to get so many spoonfuls of broth and water past his brother's parched and cracked lips.

"Come on, Raph." He coaxed, trying feeding his brother another spoonful. "Please... please, Raph, just hang on. You have to beat this. You have to wake up." He told his brother softly. "I can't ... I can't lose you. I love you, and the thought that the last words we shared were, angry, hurtful words... that can't be the last time I ever speak to you. Raph, please." He begged as a new wave of warm tears tumbled down his cheeks. "You have to pull through this. We need you. Mikey needs you, Leo needs you, I need you, and ... and Katherine needs you." He whispered miserably.

He felt Katherine wrap her arms around his shoulders brushing her scarred cheek against his wet one. "You're still able to get him to swallow something." She said squeezing him more tightly. "As long as you can still get him to swallow, there is still hope." She told him softly.

Donatello nodded, dashing away his tears with the back of his hand.

"Let me try." Katherine said taking the spoon from his shaking grasp. He looked up at her and realized that she was trying to hold it together for him, if nothing else. He could see the tears that were threatening to fall from her dark lashes, but she wouldn't let them fall, because she was trying to be strong, for him.

"Katherine..." He began as he was interrupted by a soft moan came from the bed.

Donatello and Katherine both turned their frantic, hopeful attention back to the bed. Raphael moaned a little more, opening his amber eyes slightly.

"Raph!" Donatello shouted in relief as he checked his brother's forehead and was relieved to find it slightly cooler than it had been even a few moments ago.

Raphael's only response was to groan a little more as he weakly attempted to switch positions.

"Raphael." Katherine said gently as she placed her hand upon his brother's cheek.

"Hey, Kitten." Raphael managed to say weakly as he lifted a shaking hand and placed it upon Katherine's hand which still rested upon his cheek. "Donny, I feel like hell." Raphael croaked out as his eyes slid closed again.

Katherine turned towards Donatello a watery and relived smile on her face as a few tears managed to grace her pale, hollow cheeks.

Katherine held out her other hand and pulled Donatello in close. Donatello allowed himself a momentary respite of relief. His brother was awake, and didn't appear to have any brain damage, though he would test his brother more when he wasn't as weak.

But his brother still had a high fever, and his skin hadn't returned to its brilliant emerald green colour; which meant that his liver was still failing.

_Raphael had woken up from his coma, but he wasn't out of the woods yet... not by a long shot. _Donatello thought to himself grimly

* * *

**Thoughts and opinions are always encouraged!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A giant thank you as always to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter and for her wonderful suggestions and ideas! You are beyond awesome!**

**Also a big thank you to my reviewers mela989898, I Love Kittens too, KirmacTheFriendlySpartan and Flamedragon242!**

**And now on with the show...or story I guess...;)**

* * *

Chapter 8

**Donatello** looked down at Raphael, whose skin was still a sickly shade of yellow-green. His brother's pain filled amber eyes looked back at him steadily; lines of agonizing pain etched deeply into his brother's face.

"Just come out and say it, Donny." Raphael growled weakly, his breathing sounding laboured and forced.

Donatello swallowed down the hard lump of anguish that had lodge deeply into his throat. "Raph..." He began but his brother interrupted him.

"I'm dyin'. There, was that so hard to say?" Raphael asked him with a faint mocking voice that wavered and then broke miserably.

"I don't..." Donatello began, but paused as he took a shaky breath. He leaned over and touched his brother's forehead, still slick with sweat and overly warm to the touch. "I don't know that for sure." Donatello forced out the words even as tears pricked his eyes.

"Don't lie to me, Donny. You still suck at lying." Raphael snarled as he coughed weakly into a white linen cloth that was already stained red with the blood his brother had begun coughing up. Raphael shifted slightly, moving his gaze away, as if trying to get more comfortable. But Donatello could see that Raphael had shifted his gaze to cover up the tears that had suddenly formed in his brother's eyes.

Donatello opened his mouth, about to comfort and reassure his brother, but decided that his brother was right, Raphael deserved the truth. Donatello slid his chair closer to Raphael's bedside. "Your liver and your kidneys are failing. It... it's only a matter of time before... before your heart fails from the toxic strain." Donatello managed to get the last few choked words out, his voice full of abject misery.

Raphael gave a sharp nod of understanding; still avoiding Donatello's tear filled, grief stricken gaze.

"Kitten know yet?" Raphael whispered softly in a broken voice.

Donatello shook his head in denial. "I haven't told her yet." He whispered wretchedly, thinking about how he was going to break the news to his girlfriend that Raphael was dying.

At the moment, Katherine was downstairs in the kitchen, making the broth that Donatello would attempt to force down Raphael's reluctant throat.

It had been three days since his brother had woken up from his coma, and Raphael had not improved. He was drinking small amounts of water, and they were still able to get a small amount of broth into him; but Raphael was still unable to keep anything down for long.

"Good. Don't." Raphael ordered sharply coughing into his cloth again, more red blooming onto the marred white fabric surface.

Donatello felt his mouth fall open in shock.

"I don't want her to... I don't want her to worry, or... or feel... bad." Raphael managed to stammer out between harsh, hacking coughs.

"Raph..." Donatello began to protest, but Raphael just shook his head weakly, silencing his protest.

"I've done enough to her already. I don't... I don't want to see her crying, Donny. I can't... I just can't handle that." Raphael told him, finally meeting his gaze again.

Donatello let the subject drop, knowing that he would never be able to keep something like this from Katherine, no matter how much he wished he could.

"Yeah I know." Raphael said with a small smile. "She'll know anyway. All she'll have to do is take one look at your miserable mug and she'll know I ain't getting off this island alive."

"Raph..." Donatello protested again.

"I always found her so hard to read." Raphael began ignoring Donatello's weak protest. "I could never figure out what she was thinking. Even when I thought I knew the answer, I was always wrong. Every word that came out of her mouth was always a surprise. But she could always read me... like an open book. Every lie, every secret that I told myself -and others- was all there, laid out bare for her to see." Raphael seemed to almost drift off into a pleasant memory, before another coughing fit dragged him mercilessly back to cruel reality, and the horrific finality of his situation.

"Raph." Donatello said his brother's name so softly he wasn't sure if Raphael had even heard him as he began to talk again.

"But I finally figured it out." His brother said almost proudly, a smug tone to his raspy voice.

"W-what, Raph?" Donatello asked because it almost seemed expected, even though his voice shook with overwhelming emotion.

"I still have no idea what she is thinkin', but I figured out that everything I ever needed to know, was in her eyes. It's not just that her eyes seem to change colour depending on her mood. It's so much more than that. Her eyes, that is where she's most vulnerable. She can hide her emotions and her thoughts so well, but her eyes, they always give her away. It's there that you can _almost_ understand her." Raphael dashed tears from his eyes and shook his head from side to side.

"Raph..." Donatello tried speaking to his brother again after an uncomfortable silence descended upon the room. The problem was, he didn't know what to say. Donatello had no words to express the misery of emotion that he was feeling right now.

Raphael weakly waved away the silence with a shaking hand. "Killed by a mosquito bite." Raphael snorted derisively. "I knew there was a reason I hated bugs." He growled. "Just never thought one'd actually kill me." He grumbled before taking a deep breath and letting it out in a short huff of air. "I always thought I'd go out with a bang, you know?" Raphael caught Donatello's eyes again. "I thought I would go out in a blaze of glory. Maybe takin' out one of the big bads, or savin' the world, or savin' a brother's life." Raphael paused as Donatello struggled to find something to say to his dying brother.

"I want to be buried next to Master Splinter." Raphael said suddenly.

Donatello let out a choked sob of denial and shook his head back and forth, not even wanting to listen to his brother's words anymore, but knowing that he had no other choice.

"You'll probably have to burn my body or somethin', cause I would think that I would be rotting by the time you'd be able to get outta this place; and that's okay. Just as long as you get most of me back and bury me beside Master Splinter, out at Casey's farm, right under that big oak tree by the stream."

"Raph." Donatello's broken voice pleaded for his brother to stop. He couldn't handle it. He couldn't deal with the thought of not only Raphael dying, but having to carry out his brother's final wishes.

"And tell Mikey he can have the comics I always stashed under my mattress when I pretended I didn't read them. And tell Leo he can have my heavy bag. Tell him to try usin' it once in a while. Might help him with his temper. or maybe it will help get that big stick out of his ass." Raphael quipped with a slight smile before looking into Donatello's eyes intently.

Donatello dashed the tears from his eyes as he felt the hot, salty wetness run down his cold cheeks.

"Donny, could you bring me my jacket?" Raphael asked gently.

Donatello could only stand and nod, not even asking why his brother wanted his dark canvas trench coat that he had never worn on the island, the weather too warm for such a garment.

He quickly dashed from his brother's room and his death bed last wishes. He ran into what had been Raphael's bedroom, looking at the cracked ceiling as he pulled his brother's coat from the closet and quickly running it back to him.

Donatello gently handed his jacket into Raphael's outstretched, shaking hand. "I never wanted to steal her back, Donny." Raphael began softly.

Donatello made some sort of sobbing, choking sound, which his brother ignored, continuing his line of thought.

"I wanted her back, but I knew I would never get her back. She had you, and I was okay with that. You're right, she's happier with you than she ever was with me." Raphael said miserably.

Donatello shook his head ferociously in denial. "That's not true, Raph." He choked out. "I didn't mean that. It was a lie. She was happy with you." He protested, needing to say something to make up for the hateful words that had tumbled unheeded from his lips during their earlier fight.

"Doesn't matter, Donny. The only thing I wanted..." Raphael paused gathering his thoughts. "I wanted her to know that... that I was a better guy, 'cause of her. I wanted her to see that I had changed, and that even though we could never be together again, I was gonna continue to be better, because of her." Raphael's words were shaky, strained, and weary, as if it was taking too much effort to even speak anymore.

"And she knows that." Donatello said soothingly. "You aren't dead yet, Raph. All you have to do is fight. You always fight, it's what you do! You fight even when you are outmatched and outnumbered!" He said fiercely. "You can still beat this, Raph. I am not going to let you just give up!" He snarled at his brother ferociously.

Raphael just shook his head sadly. "Donny... everything hurts. I can feel... God, Donny I feel so weak. I feel like something that was shit out, eaten and then shit out again. Talking hurts, my chest hurts, my head hurts. Hell, even my toes hurt." Raphael growled a slight spark lighting his eyes as he dug around in his trench coat's pocket and pulled out a little, black velvet box.

"This is for you, Donny." Raphael said holding out the box which Donatello took in a shaking hand. His tears blurred his vision so badly that he could barely see, let alone understand what he was looking at.

Donatello managed to pry open the box that he held in trembling hands. He looked at the diamond solitaire ring in confusion. "I... I don't..." Donatello stammered out.

"I was gonna propose to her. The day she got back from Egypt I had that thing burning a hole in my pocket. I managed to scrounge together a little bit of money by doin' a few odd jobs here and there, where no one had to see who and what I was. And Casey helped out a bit too. Case and I were out drinkin', and watching the game. I wasn't expectin' Kitten back for another few days, but me and Case were celebrating and I was gathering up the courage to ask her to marry me. I knew she deserved a hell of a lot better than me. Hell, she could probably buy fifty of those rings with her family's weekly pocket money. But... I wanted to ask her because I didn't think I could live without her. I know the marriage wouldn't be legal, or even religious, not that Kitten ever cared about that sort of thing. But I wanted to make her mine, Donny. Mine for the rest of my life." Raphael paused, seeming to gather up his thoughts before continuing. "I tried to give Casey the ring to go pawn when I... when I messed everything up. But Casey wouldn't take it; said I should hang onto it. Thing is, I was glad I hung onto it. It always reminded me of what I lost. Carried it everywhere with me."

Donatello forced himself to meet his brother's fevered gaze, still not understanding what his brother wanted from him.

"I want you to have it, Donny. You want to marry her, I can tell, even if you haven't thought about it. You love her and she loves you. So give her that and ask her. She'll say yes. You have to look after her for me, Donny. Promise me that you will look after her." Raphael pleaded desperately, becoming agitated and worried.

Donatello could only nod miserably. "Kay, Raph." He promised closing the lid of the small box and slipping it into his front jeans' pocket. His mind and body went oddly numb, not even contemplating what his brother wanted him to do, because it was too much bear right now.

Donatello's answer seemed to comfort his brother who seemed to deflate slightly. Raphael's eyes slid closed, and his body went alarmingly still.

"Raph?" Donatello questioned, his voice soft but containing the faint edge of panic. "Raph." He tried again when his brother made no movement and did not respond to his name.

Donatello shook his head in denial as tears streamed down his face. "No!" He managed to choke the word out as he swallowed down his panicked fear. He reached out a trembling hand and checked his brother's pulse. After several agonizing seconds he felt the faint throb of life under his fingertips. Donatello felt his shoulder slump with relief. He dashed the tears from his eyes and dragged shaking hands down his cold cheeks. Raphael still had a pulse, but it was weak and thready.

Donatello quickly stood, nearly knocking back the chair that he had been sitting in as he dashed into the hallway, bumping into Katherine who held a bowl of warm broth in her hands.

She took one look at his face and the bowl slipped from her suddenly numb fingers to smash onto the floor at her feet. Her face grew deathly white, tears filled her eyes as she shook her head back and forth in denial. She took a step back and placed both hands over her mouth, holding back any words she may have screamed or said.

"He's asleep." He reassured her quickly, knowing that Katherine was thinking that Raphael had died. "But..." He swallowed down the lump of grief that had risen painfully in his throat. "He.. he." Donatello tried to choke back a grief stricken sob that crawled painfully up his throat. He wanted to deny his thoughts and believe that Raphael still had the ability to pull through, but he knew the truth. And the stark reality was that his brother was dying right before his eyes; and there was nothing he could do to stop him from slipping away into Death's cool, merciless embrace. "He has a few hours left, maybe a more, but he won't make it through the night." He stated grimly, pulling himself together enough so that the words were able to tumble from his lips. The sound of his own wretched voice brought a fresh pricking of tears that burned his eyes as he blindly reached out and pulled Katherine into his shaking arms.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked at the screen dully, his mind and body nearly going numb. He flipped open his cell phone and dialed his oldest brother. The phone cut to voicemail automatically, so he left a message. He then dialed his baby brother's phone and got his brother's voicemail. He left an identical message on Michelangelo's phone, amazed that he was able to get the shaking, devastating words out of his mouth.

His phone clattered to the phone unheeded, as he pulled Katherine in even more tightly into his fierce hug. He buried his face into her neck and sobbed out his grief and sorrow. He was heartbroken that he was unable to even give his brothers the news of Raphael's death personally. Instead they would hear the horrible news through their voicemail.

"I'm so sorry." Donatello managed to choke out through shaking sobs; though why he was saying he was sorry to Katherine he wasn't quite sure. He supposed he was trying to comfort her in some way; to let her know he had tried and done everything he could to save his brother's life, but he had failed.

Katherine clung to Donatello, her face buried in his cool neck, but she didn't answer him. He wasn't even sure if she had heard him, or if she was too buried within her own grief to even understand what he was saying to her.

Donatello pulled back slightly, tipping up Katherine's tear streaked face so that she had no choice but to meet his own tear filled eyes.

Her face was still deathly white, her green eyes a brilliant shade of blue -green he had never seen before. He gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. She was crying, but she hadn't broken down... not yet. She shook her head in denial again; as if Raphael's death were too great and horrific a thing to even contemplate, let alone believe.

But it was true, and there was nothing he could do now for his brother; but wait until Raphael died, and carry out his final wishes.

The small velvet box felt like a lead weight sitting in his pocket, burning and taunting him with the finality and selflessness of Raphael's last request.

A sudden thought struck him then; shaking him to his very core.

He mentally cursed himself.

He hadn't done everything that he could to save his brother. There was one last thing he could try.

He tried not to contemplate the ramifications of what he was about to do, because he couldn't. All he cared about at this moment was saving Raphael's life; no matter what the cost.

He clutched desperately at Katherine's shoulders, his words coming out soft but surprisingly strong and steady. "Do you still love him?" He asked her, a near frantic edge to his voice. His mind spun furiously out of control, as his heart pounded painfully in his chest at what he was about to do.

"W-what?" Katherine stammered, shaking her head -not in denial of his question- but rather in dumfounded confusion.

Donatello squeezed her shoulders more tightly, causing her to wince in pain at the increased pressure. He lightened his grip slightly, but in a tone that was just as serious and just as desperate, he asked her again. "Do you still love Raph? Could you ever be with him again?" He asked again, trepidation flowing through him at her answer.

"D-Donatello...?" She stammered in confusion; unsure of what he was asking of her. More tears rolled down her pale cheeks, her eyes becoming just a tiny bit more blue.

"Because if you can be with him... then you need to be with him." He told her fiercely.

Katherine's eves widened in shock, and if possible, her face paled even further. "What are you asking me to do?" She whispered.

"I never should have...we never should have...It was always you, Katherine." He said softly, as if he could make her understand his disjointed thoughts. He tried again. "Raph's given up. He doesn't think he's going to make it, so he has accepted that he is dying. He won't fight anymore because he has nothing to fight _for." _He insisted.

Katherine's eyes widened even more. Donatello could see her grief-stricken mind attempting to make sense of what he was saying.

Donatello brushed his thumbs across Katherine's cool, damp cheeks. "He still loves you. He would fight for you. Me, Leo, Mikey... we aren't enough for him to fight for. You know Raph better than anyone, and you know Raph always fights _for _something; even when he is in a berserker rage. Raph fights for justice, recognition, revenge, and protection. He always fights for something or for someone, but he feels like he has nothing to fight _for_... no _one_ to fight for."

"Donatello..." Katherine's eyes desperately searched his own, her voice unsteady.

"Raph loves you and he _needs_ you." He insisted.

Katherine took a step back, her arms pulling away as she looked back at him, as if he had betrayed her; which he had. "You want me to tell Raphael that if he lives, I will be waiting for him?" She whispered in shaky disbelief.

Her words sent a sharp, shooting pain straight through his already mangled heart. He ground his teeth together so he wouldn't tell her that it wasn't what he meant. He forced himself to swallow down the traitorous words, because he wanted to tell her that he loved her, and wanted to be with her... forever.

Raphael had been absolutely right. Donatello wanted to marry Katherine. He wanted to be able to wake up next to her every day for the rest of eternity, because the rest of his life wasn't long enough.

Instead Donatello said, "If you can be with Raph, please, please be with him; because you might just be able to save his life."

Katherine's eyes closed in misery as her head tuned sharply to the side as if he had slapped her across the face. Donatello knew that he was betraying Katherine in a way that was virtually indescribable. He was treating her like a toy; a plaything that could be swapped, borrowed, given away, and even given back. Donatello knew that it didn't work that way, that he couldn't just command Katherine to love Raph, and to be with him so that he might gather up the sheer force of will required to live; yet Donatello asked this of her anyway. And he asked her this, knowing full well, that even if Raphael died -which was the most likely outcome- Donatello would never see Katherine again.

Donatello also knew that if Katherine did not feel that way about Raphael anymore, she would be unable to promise Raphael anything, even if it was to ease his dying. Because Katherine would never promise anything she could not give, and because Katherine never lied... ever.

Donatello studied Katherine's eyes. They had lost all of their green colour, going completely blue with anguished sorrow. He could see her mind furiously at work, giving serious thought to his words, no matter how much they had deeply wounded her, because that was the way she was. Donatello realized that Raphael was right; everything you ever needed to know about Katherine was right there in her eyes; an open book to all of those who knew how to read and decipher them. And right now Katherine's tear filled eyes were full of pain, misery, betrayal and something else.

With the ring burning in his pocket, and an image of Katherine looking at him with love in her eyes seared into his mind, Donatello steeled himself against the words that were about to break his heart. "We were a mistake, Katherine. We never should have been together." The lie felt like acid burning across his tongue. Though in a strange way, his words were actually true. They never should have been together, they _had_ been a mistake, because he never should have betrayed Raphael the way he had.

"You love him." He continued, because he knew it was true. He had seen it in her eyes, the moment she came to the realization that she was still in love with Raphael. "Katherine, we are over. We can't be together anymore." He said roughly as black spots of despair began to dance in front of his eyes.

Katherine let out a choked sob, but didn't protest his words. She didn't break down and beg him not to do this to her, because Katherine knew that Donatello was right. She could not just sit back and watch Raphael die, no more than he could. And so against all morals, scruples or any other factors, she would tell Raphael that if he fought and lived, they would be together.

Her face went blank. It was as if she was pulling every single last remaining shred of her sanity and her emotions together, one ragged piece at a time. She took a deep determined breath as her eyes shifted to more green than blue.

"Donatello, I don't..." She took a shaky breath and tried again. "We..." She was having a hard time getting her words out. He knew that she wanted to agree with him, tell him that he was right, and that they had been a mistake and that they should never have been together, but she couldn't, because to her, it would have been a lie. And she couldn't lie; not to him and not to herself, no matter how much she wanted to. Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke her next words, which rang out clear and true. "You're right, I love Raphael, and he needs me."

At her words Donatello felt a stab of intense pain, located somewhere in the region where his mangled heart used to be. The pain nearly brought him to his knees in agony. He wanted to protest, to cry out that he loved her and to please not leave him, but he forced his lips to remain closed. There was no turning back now... there never was. Not from the moment that the idea had fist bloomed in his mind.

He knew that he would never have been able to stray away from this exact path, because the moment the thought took root, he could no more discard it than Katherine could.

They both looked at each other, Katherine's eyes were filled with unshed tears, but there was a strong, steely look of determination that now resided in her brilliant blue-green eyes.

Katherine stepped past him and slipped into Raphael's room without a backwards glance.

Donatello felt his knees buckle and then finally give way. His knees struck the floor with a biting pain, which he welcomed. He could almost feel it through the numbness that seemed to have permeated throughout his body, as the full enormity of what he had just done, struck him.

Donatello should have forced himself to stand. He should have forced himself to run as fast as he could, anywhere but where he was currently located. But apparently he was a masochist, because instead he strained to hear every word that Katherine whispered to his dying brother.

Donatello struggled to his feet, his leaden appendages forcing him closer to the sound of his torment; close enough so that he was able to observe Katherine and Raphael though the slightly open door.

Katherine sat at Raphael's bedside; in the exact chair only moments ago he had vacated in a mad dash to get as far away as he could from his brother's words of last request.

Katherine stood slightly and shook Raphael's sweat covered shoulders hard. "Raphael!" She whispered fiercely. "Wake up!"

Raphael made a slight moaning sound as Katherine continued to shake Raphael and call his name until finally, his brother managed to open his eyes a mere crack.

"D-Donny...Donny musta... musta t-told ya." Raphael stammered brokenly as he tried to look away from her. Katherine had other ideas. She gently lay her hand on Raphael's cheek and forced him to look back at her.

"You are a fighter, Raphael. You are supposed to be fighting this, not giving up...not this easily." Katherine ground out, but her voice had begun to shake with unbearable grief.

Raphael only sighed and tried to close his dull, listless eyes. "Go away, Kitten." He ordered gently.

"No. You don't get to get rid of me." She barked harshly, tears that had been threatening to fall, finally streaming down her cheeks.

Her choice of words sliced Donatello to the very core of his soul. Whether Katherine had actually aimed the words at Donatello purposefully or not was not important. What was important is that it was exactly what Donatello had just done to Katherine moments earlier. No matter his reasons, he had gotten rid of her because it suited his purposes to do so.

Raphael tried to ignore Katherine, and settle back into sleep; but Katherine wasn't giving up. "How are we to ever be together again, if you are dead, huh?" Katherine sobbed out as she pulled her hand away from Raphael's hollow, yellow tinged cheek.

Her words and her actions however seemed to have garnered his brother's attention, because Raphael's pain filled eyes opened, looking at her in confusion as he winced as another painful spasm wracked his frail body. He took a ragged breath and coughed up more frothy blood. Katherine gently held and dabbed the mostly red linen cloth to his lips.

"Kitten." Raphael murmured, turning his head away from her. His eyes were still full of confusion and pain, but this time the pain was not physical, unless a broken heart counted as physical pain. "You love Donny." Raphael whispered as he forced his eyes to meet Katherine's gaze. Raphael reached out a shaky hand and clutched her pale hand in his own. "I know what you are try to do..." Raphael began sadly.

"What? What am I trying to do, Raphael?" She asked harshly, pulling her hand away and using the back of her hand to quickly dash away her tears.

"You're trying to get me to live." Raphael whispered wretchedly, reaching out his hand and brushing his finger across the scar that stood out starkly against her pale left cheek.

"Of course I am trying to get you to live!" She shouted back in exasperation.

"Don't..." Raphael began but Katherine was already cutting him off.

"I love you, Raphael. I have _never _stopped loving you." She told Raphael fiercely, as if daring him to call her a liar.

"Kitten, you love Donny..." Raphael's voice trailed off.

"I do." She confirmed. She didn't try to deny her feelings for Donatello.

Donatello closed his eyes in despair. Her words did not comfort him, not in the least. Instead he felt the metaphorical knife that was piercing his heart twist even more painfully in his chest.

Katherine continued. "But sometimes love isn't enough to keep two people together. Sometimes other people are more important." She whispered softly, stroking Raphael's fevered cheek.

"Katherine." Raphael used Katherine's full name, which was rare, and meant that anything Raphael was about to say, was not only important, but very serious. "I love you. You know I love you, but I can't betray Donny like that. He loves you. You are his girlfriend..."

"Was." Katherine interrupted in a shaky voice. "I _was _his girlfriend. We broke up, Raphael. Donatello and I are no longer together. You know Donatello and I were having problems..."

"Katherine-" Raphael tried again, but she interrupted him a second time.

"I can't lose you, Raphael." She shook her head miserably. "I love you too much to ever lose you. The thought of my life without you in it is unimaginable." She gently touched Raphael's cheek, her eyes looking imploringly into Raphael's fevered, desperate, agony filled amber eyes.

Raphael covered Katherine's hand which lay against his fevered cheek with his own hand, but shook his head slightly in sorrow.

"Please, Raphael, Please, please, don't ever leave me." She choked out as more tears rolled down her already damp cheeks.

Donatello watched as Raphael was unable to deny Katherine any longer. The moment she said the very words that Raphael had spoken to her a few days earlier while he had been delusional, destroyed all of his remaining protests.

Raphael gathered Katherine up in his arms and pulled her against his burning chest as tightly as he could. Her arms went around his neck as she buried her face into his throat.

"I don't want to die, Kitten." Raphael choked out wretchedly.

"Then fight to live, Raphael. For me... for us." She whispered as Raphael pulled her back enough to search her eyes to confirm that what she had said was real. That he was not just imagining her in his arms again. Whatever Raphael found there seemed to reassure him.

Katherine leaned in and kissed Raphael passionately then. Her kiss was full of love, desperation and need. Raphael returned her kiss just as fiercely, all the while clutching her to his chest as tightly as he could manage. Raphael was the first to break away, sliding Katherine to his side and tucking her in closely beside him.

Katherine lay her head on Raphael's plastron, right over his weakening heart, her arms hugging him tightly around his shoulders.

Raphael gently stroked Katherine's hair until his hand stilled and slackened. "I love you, Kitten." Raphael whispered faintly as his eyes slid closed, a peaceful expression on his face as he went frighteningly still.

Katherine clutched at Raphael's hand. Donatello could hear a muffled sob from his ex-lover and he tried to hold back his own tears of grief as he rushed into the room, fearing the worst.

Katherine held up a hand indicating that Raphael was still alive, but had just fallen into an exhausted sleep.

Donatello nodded in relief, pulling up the chair that Katherine had recently vacated. He reached out a shaking hand and clasped Raphael's free hand in his own, closing his eyes. "Fight, Raph, please, please fight." He growled softly. A warm hand suddenly slid over the hand that was clutching Raphael's, giving it a quick squeeze.

Donatello's eyes flew open in surprise as he looked into Katherine's blue-green eyes. Her eyes were full of almost too many emotions to separate out, but Donatello thought that he detected a hint of forgiveness, understanding and love. Love for himself, but also love for Raphael.

Donatello placed his other hand on top of Katherine's and turned his attention back to Raphael, praying that he made it through the night. He watched in despair as each breath Raphael took seemed get more faint and more difficult with every passing moment.


	9. Chapter 9

**AS always a big giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter, and for always making it so much better! And thanks to her great suggestions and letting me pick her brain with the medical stuff:) You are AMAZING!**

**Also a big thank you to Mela989898, I love kittens too, Kimmie98, and flamedragon242 for your wonderful reviews;)**

**And to mela, please enjoy the ongoing train wreck;)**

* * *

Chapter 9

**Donatello** lifted his head off his arm and frowned in confusion, wondering when he had fallen asleep. He sat up in the chair he was sitting in and look around the room. The sun shone brightly through the windows as birds chirped merrily outside.

The last thing he remembered was watching Raphael and Katherine sleeping soundly together on the bed he had apparently fell asleep on. He had been determined to stay awake throughout the night, checking every few minutes to make sure his brother was still alive. Raphael's breathing had gotten weaker, his pulse more and more thready with each passing moment.

Katherine had struggled to stay awake as well. Her own fingers had rested lightly on Raphael's weakening pulse, her ear directly over his faint heart beat as each gasp for air had become more and more difficult to take. Tears had run down Katherine's cheeks in anguish as they sat and watched Raphael slowly dying in front of them, knowing there wasn't anything they could do to stop the inevitable from happening.

Donatello felt panic begin to crawl up his back as he gently squeezed Raphael's cold, limp hand in his own. Donatello's eyes flew to Raphael's face, which in the bright light appeared was pale and gaunt, his lips tinged frighteningly blue, his body completely motionless and still. Donatello couldn't even detect the faint rise and fall of his brother's chest.

A lump formed in his throat as he shook his head back and forth in denial, pulling his hand away from his brother's icy grip. He let out a choked sob and buried his head in his brother's blankets, clenching the sheets tightly in his hands as he tried to stifle the sounds of his unbearable grief and loss.

He felt as if he had lost almost everything.

He had just lost his brother and the woman he loved, all within the same heartbreaking night. And although Donatello knew that he would never regret his actions regarding Katherine, there was no comfort in knowing that he had done EVERYTHING he could to save his brother's life, and failed miserably anyway.

He twisted the bed sheets in his hands more tightly as he sobbed uncontrollably into them. He couldn't stop the grief that assaulted him, turning his world black, and leaving him feeling barren and empty.

"I'm sorry, Raph." He whispered wretchedly. "I am so, so sorry." He choked out between ragged breaths. "I... I should h-have tried h-harder."

Donatello lifted his head as he detected a small movement from Katherine. She lifted her head from where it had been laying on Raphael's plastron. She tiredly opened her eyes and looked at him in confusion; as if her exhausted mind could not fathom what he was so upset about.

Katherine's eyes widened in shock as she took in his grief-stricken face in dawning horror. Katherine paled, going absolutely white. She had paled so much and so quickly, that Donatello thought she was going to faint. Her gaze flew to Raphael's pale, blue tinged face, her eyes quickly filled with tears as she fell forward, burying her face in the crook of Raphael's cold neck. Sob after choked out sob was issued from her lips as she spoke softly to his deceased brother. She spoke so softly that Donatello was unable to hear her words. But Donatello figured that was okay, because those words were not meant for him, they were meant for his brother and his brother only.

Donatello dashed the tears from his eyes and reached out, lightly touching Katherine's shoulder.

Katherine pulled herself away from his brother's still, lifeless body and looked at Donatello, devastated grief lining ever inch of her face. She reached over, grabbing him by the hand and pulled him towards her. She pulled him in close and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face into his throat as she sobbed brokenly. "I-I'm sorry, Donatello. I am so, so sorry." She choked out in apology between heart wrenching sobs; as if she had failed him somehow, or as if his loss were somehow greater than her own. Donatello wondered numbly -as he clutched Katherine tightly- if there was a comparison of which hurt worse; the loss of a brother, or the loss of a lover? He had just lost his brother, and he had lost Katherine, but in a different way. He knew Katherine was still alive, but forever out of his reach. And yet, he morbidly wondered if her death would cut more deeply. He wasn't sure, and he never wanted to find out. The loss of his brother had ripped his soul to shreds and left him shaking; like a boat being tossed adrift in a tumultuous storm with no end in sight. There was now a giant hole in his heart that he was unable, and would never be able to fill again.

Donatello sobbed brokenly into Katherine's hair as his mind worked furiously, knowing that he had to fulfil Raphael's last requests. He would have to cremate his brother's body and take the remains back home to bury next to their father. Michelangelo would get Raphael's comics, Leonardo his heavy bag… and…. and the ring burning a hole in his pocket… would be the one request he could never fulfil.

By this time Katherine had slumped forward causing Donatello to fall forward as well. His head lay on his brother's motionless chest, his sobs quieting into choked sniffing. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Raph." He whisper hardly more than a soft exhalation of breath.

Katherine's hands brushed across Donatello's forehead and caressed his cheek gently, giving him all the comfort that she could give.

His brother's body made a slight twitch. Donatello flinched in bewilderment, but did not remove his head from Raphael's chest.

He had heard Katherine gasp in confusion, but he ignored her as he heard a faint, low groan issue from Raphael's blue tinged lips.

Donatello listened intently, straining to hear the faint thump of a heartbeat. Instead he heard another moan as his brother moved weakly.

"Donny?" Raphael's voice rasped in question.

Donatello quickly lifted his head from his brother's chest, staring in shock into his brother's confused amber eyes. His eyes drifted downwards, watching in amazement as he saw a slight rise and fall -one shallow breath- followed by another, slightly deeper raspy breath.

"Raph?" Donatello asked in a shaking voice as tears beaded along his eyes before falling in stunned relief. "You... you're alive." He whispered dumbly in disbelief.

"Raphael!" Katherine cried out, wrapping his brother in her arms in a crushing, and relieved hug.

An awful, grating cough suddenly racked Raphael's body. Donatello frantically searched for a glass of water, and finding one on the night stand offered it to his brother, who weakly shook his head, 'no'.

"Donny, what... what's going on?" Raphael finally managed to whisper huskily, his face still tinged blue, his voice a hoarse rasp as he struggled to take each breath. This question seemed to exhaust his brother, his eyes sliding partially closed as he sunk deeper into the pillows.

Donatello had to choke back a heart wrenching sob. His brother wasn't dead, but he wasn't any better either. Instead, Donatello was going to have to watch his brother die right in front of him. Donatello felt relieved and heartbroken, all at the same time. He would be able to comfort his brother in his final moments, which was as comforting as it was heart breaking, but this meant that he would have to sit and watch his brother suffer in agony during his final moments. Donatello roughly pushed this selfish, traitorous thought away and dashed wretched tears of grief from his eyes.

"You..." Donatello swallowed down the painful lump in his throat. "We, we thought you had..." Donatello choked back a whimper. "You... you're dying, Raph. You only have a few minutes left. Just... just try to... to relax." He said managing to get the horrible words out. "It... It will all be ... be over... s-soon.

Raphael's face paled, turning a disturbing shade of grey-blue.

Raphael closed his eyes and nodded in grim acceptance. "My chest hurts and... it hurts to breathe." Raphael wheezed taking in a shaky breath of air, tiredly opening his eyes again.

"I know." Donatello whispered miserably, clasping his brother's cold, shaking hand in his own. He gave his brother's hand a gentle squeeze and to his surprise, Raphael gently squeezed his hand back. "The... the pain will stop soon." Donatello promised. Donatello knew that his brother's heart would finally just stop; finally ending Raphael's short life, and there was nothing Donatello could do about it. His brother had managed to fight and last through the night, but his battle was for nought; because in the end, the Yellow Fever had won.

"Donny... Don't... don't blame yourself. " Raphael whispered in agony as pain wracked his body. Tears streaked down Raphael's face, not being able to hold them back any longer. "I... I love you, Bro." Raphael managed to grind out through a jaw clenched tightly against the pain. Raphael suddenly arched his back gasping for breath, his face contorting with intense pain before he settled back again, exhausted and barely conscious. His tired amber gaze slowly moved to Katherine. "Kitten. God, Kitten I'm so sorry." Raphael managed to reach out a shaking hand, and stroking her hair tenderly, his eyes speaking of his undying love that he felt for her.

At that moment Donatello felt like an intruder; someone who should not be witnessing this soul shattering moment between his brother and his love.

Katherine's gaze was beyond devastated. Pain was a word that could not even come close to describing the searing agony and disbelief that rolled around in her tearful eyes.

"Katherine, I love you so much. Never... I never stopped loving you." Raphael whispered miserably before closing his eyes as another wave of agonizing pain wracked is already abused body. "My chest! My heart feels like it's in a vice, it hurts!" Raphael screamed as he tried to curl into a ball. Sweat glistened and ran down Raphael's face as he struggled to breathe. His eyes fluttered rabidly before his body started to shake, spasming uncontrollably. A strangled gasping wheeze uttered from his gaping mouth as he tried to breathe.

"He's going into cardiac arrest." Donatello's voice cracked with horror. "Raph!"

Suddenly Raphael went still, his eyes sliding closed, his hand falling limply to his side.

"Raphael!" Katherine screamed. "Don't you dare! You can't... you don't get to die on me!" She sobbed as Donatello rolled Raphael onto his Carapace, and began doing chest compressions.

"Don't you dare die on me, Raphael!" Donatello snarled viciously as he pressed his brother's chest harder; even though he knew that there was no point. Raphael's heart would never beat again, and yet he still tried to get his brother's heart beating.

"Raph come on, stay with me, Bro. Please." He begged pushing Katherine out of the way, and leaning forward, about to press his lips against his brother's cold blue ones; to breathe a puff of air into his brother's abused lungs.

Raphael opened his eyes groggily and jerked back hard when he saw Donatello bent over him. "Don't even think about giving me mouth to mouth." He growled weakly, taking in a shallow breath before coughing violently. "I ain't... ain't dead yet." Raphael gasped, wiping his mouth in disgust not knowing if Donatello's lips had touched his own or not. "Don't... don't revive me... just let me go." Raphael wheezed as he shifted slightly, another violent cough wracking his frail body.

Donatello realized that his brother had fainted for a few moments, before regaining consciousness. And now Raphael was telling him to just let him die, and not to try to bring him back; because that was a torture neither of them needed to endure. But Donatello knew it would not stop him from trying to revive his brother anyway, even though he knew it was pointless in the end.

Katherine sobbed, falling forward and pulling Raphael in close. She lay her cheek against Raphael's. "I love you." She whispered, shifting her head so that is was laying on Raphael's plastron. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again and shifting so that she was more upright, her arms possessively clutching Raphael close to her heart. She looked at Donatello, a steely look of determination in her eyes that proclaimed she wasn't going to let Raphael die; not without one hell of a fight. "Why is he blue?" She asked, her voice strong, clear and yet containing an edge of desperation.

Donatello stared at Katherine blankly. His grief stricken mind unable to comprehend what she was asking. Finally he answered, "He's dying, Katherine." He told her gently.

She shook her head vehemently back and forth, her arms clutched around Raphael's struggling body."His skin is blue, cold, and I couldn't even hear his heart beating! But he's still alive, how is that possible?" She asked him beseechingly, a tear running down her pale cheek.

Raphael arched his back again in brutal agony, his body spasming and convulsing in Katherine's arms. "God, Donny! My chest fucking hurts." Raphael wailed as he took another gasping breath of air. "Please, just... just make it fucking stop!" Raphael pleaded, tears coursing down his grey-green cheeks as he clutched at the area over his heart.

"Donatello!" Katherine wailed brokenly as Raphael let out a hoarse scream of agony before it was abruptly cut off. His brother fell back, panting softly, his eyes glazing over slightly as he continued to make strangled whimpers of pain.

Donatello looked at his brother; actually _looked _at him. "Raph, try to lie perfectly still." Donatello commanded, his mind hitting upon an idea as he placed his ear on his brother's chest again, directly over his heart. He motioned with a finger to his lips for everyone to remain perfectly silent and still.

He hadn't been able to detect his brother's heartbeat a moment ago either, but his brother was still alive, which meant that his heart was obviously still beating. He knew that the Yellow Fever would eventually cause his brother's heart to fail, but it hadn't... yet. However, his brother's heart should have stopped, killing him outright; not turning his skin blue. _At least, his skin shouldn't turn blue until death finally took his life. _He amended to himself grimly.

Donatello finally heard it then, the faint, dull thump of his brother's still beating heart. The sound was not a healthy one, it sounded hollow and weak.

"Cyanosis." He croaked in disbelief, quickly lifting his head from his brother's chest.

"Donatello." Katherine whispered miserably.

Donatello scrambled for the pen light he had placed on the night table the day before. He grabbed the cool metal in his hand, flicked the light on, and shined it in both of his brother's eyes. He placed a shaking hand on his brother's cold forehead. "Raph's fever is gone. And judging by the fact that his skin and eyes are no longer yellow it appears that both kidney and liver functions have returned to normal. He's beaten the Yellow Fever, but an infection is attacking the sac that surrounds his heart. His blue colour is being caused by de-oxygenation. Basically his heart cannot pump enough oxygenated blood throughout his system because he is suffering from a Pericardial Effusion." He swallowed before continuing. "There is an abnormal build up of fluid in the sac that surrounds his heart, which is squeezing the heart and preventing the proper distribution of oxygenated blood. The fluid has also caused his heart to swell, which is causing the chest pains and his breathing problems."

Katherine looked at Donatello desperately, hope warring with fear while Raphael seemed to be in too much pain to pay attention to what Donatello was saying. Raphael tried curling into a tight ball, clawing at his chest in agony as Katherine continued to hold him tightly to her chest.

"We can save him?" Katherine asked in the barest of hopeful whispered.

Donatello nodded curtly." But if we don't do something quickly, he's going to die." Donatello told Katherine sharply, fear racing hotly across his shoulders and down his spine. His mind worked furiously to find a solution to save his brother's life.

"What can we do?" Katherine's faint voice asked plaintively.

"We can try draining the excess fluid from around his heart." He said decisively as he moved from the bed, scooping the paramedics bag up off the floor and unzipping the top.

"You're gonna do what?" Raphael gasped out in horror as Donatello pulled the largest gauge needle he could find from the bag. Raphael looked at the needle and went three shades paler, the blue of his lips standing out even more starkly against his green-grey skin.

"Katherine, I'm going to need you to keep him calm." Donatello told her as he pulled another, smaller needle and a piece of IV tubing from the bag. It would have been helpful to have saline solution for when Raphael had been in a coma, but for now Donatello was thankful for the tubing.

"Donny, there is... no way in hell that... that you are jabbing that thing into me." Raphael managed to gasp out weakly as he struggled to sit up.

Donatello realized that his brother was not going to cooperate willingly. "Tie him down." He ordered mercilessly. His brother could hate him later, right now he was going to save Raphael's life, even if it meant restraining him for his own good.

Katherine didn't even protest or question his order. Instead she nodded and quickly removed the pillowcases from a few of the spare pillows surrounding Raphael's struggling form. With Donatello's help in holding Raphael still, Katherine deftly and quickly tied Raphael spread-eagle to the bed, using the posts of the headboard and footboard to secure him.

Donatello blinked momentarily at her ease and familiarity at tying Raphael to the bed and he briefly wondered about his brother and Katherine's possible kinky bedroom habits, before firmly pushing the thought away and concentrating on the task at hand.

He pulled on a pair of ill-fitting rubber gloves and grabbed a disinfecting wipe, brushing it down the center of his brother's pectoral scutes.

He looked up at Raphael, who was gazing down at him, his eyes frightened and full of intense pain. Donatello glanced at Katherine. "This is going to hurt. I need you to try to keep him as calm as you can." He told her gravely.

"Couldn't we...?" She began but Donatello quickly cut her off.

"I can't give him anything. The only thing I have is morphine and I don't want him slipping into a coma again." He ground out, the horror of what he was about to do to his brother while he was still conscious choking him.

Katherine nodded, tears brimming in her eyes as she bravely fought them back, focusing all of her attention on Raphael. She leaned forward and placed both hands on each side of Raphael's face, forcing him to look at her.

"I need you to look at me, Raphael." She told his brother gently, but firmly.

Raphael tried to force his head away, straining to see what Donatello was doing, but Katherine's grip may as well have been made of steel for all his brother was able to move his head.

Raphael closed his eyes, straining against the impromptu restraints. "Donny!" Raphael's' choked voice broke as a single tear rolled down his brother's cheek from the corner of his eye.

"Raphael, listen to me. You are going to be fine. It's going to hurt, but Donatello is going to do everything he can to make this as quick and painless as possible." Katherine whispered comfortingly, wiping the stray tear from Raphael's pale cheek.

Donatello could no longer spare anymore time on watching Katherine comfort his struggling, terrified brother. Every moment he wasted, more and more fluid was building up around his brother's heart; slowly crushing it.

Donatello placed the tip of the largest gauge needle against the crevice between his brother's scutes and pushed through the hard keratin of his brother's plastron. He needed to hit the lower portion of the pericardial sac. He could feel his brother tensing, probably feeling the pressure of the needle entering, but no pain just yet. Donatello pushed the needle in further until he struck the thin, but tough, white membrane that lay underneath their plastrons. He pulled the large needle out, discarding it, and picking up the smaller, thinner needle next.

His hands shook as he took a deep, calming breath. He made a slight nod with his head that he hoped Katherine could see, indicating that this was the part of the procedure that was going to hurt, and to try to keep Raphael as calm and still as she possibly could.

The needle slipped through the membrane with a little bit of difficulty. Raphael let out a gasp of pain, his body arching slightly. Donatello tried to calm himself because one slip and he could accidently kill his brother outright.

"Raphael!" Katherine's voice snapped as she tried to stop Raphael's frenzied thrashing, finally resorting to pushing his shoulders down with her hands..

Donatello guided the needle slowly towards his brother's heart as Raphael let out another, louder whimper of agony.

"Look at me!" Katherine commanded of his brother. "Raphael!" Katherine choked out, her voice shaking. "W-when... when this is all over, we...we are going to go home, but after that... anywhere you want to go, anything that you want to do, we are going to do it." She told Raphael in a choked voice.

"Donny, if you are going to kill me, just do it already!" Raphael snarled, his voice breaking as he let out another whimper of pain.

Donatello ignored Raphael's words and carefully pierced the sac surrounding his brother's heart.

Raphael screamed in pain then. Donatello pulled the plunger from the needle as it quickly filled with a cloudy fluid. Donatello paced the clear rubber tubing into the body of the syringe and the end into a small bucket at his feet.

"When we get off this hunk of rock I ain't never going anywhere again!" Raphael managed to cry out, his eyes closed tightly in pain.

"Okay." Katherine almost managed a watery laugh as she dashed tears from her cheeks with a shaky hand.

Raphael bucked, forcing Katherine to scramble to hold onto Raphael's head again. "Do you remember the first time we met?" Katherine asked Raphael, attempting another line of thought to distract Raphael's mind from the searing pain in his chest.

Raphael only grunted, thrashing slightly in pain.

"You told me that... that h-heaven must be missing an... an angel." Katherine managed to stammer out in a choked voice.

This seemed to get Raphael's attention as his brother opened his eyes and looked up at Katherine. She wore a soft expression on her face, filled with love and hope, a slightly wry smile on her face in response to the obviously corny pick up line.

Donatello's heart clenched in grief and jealousy at the love that he saw in his ex-girlfriend's eyes; aimed at his brother. He ignored the pain in his heart and watched as more fluid steadily dripped into the bucket.

Raphael managed a snort of some sort. Donatello studied his brother's face. The bluish cast to his brother's skin was slowly being replaced by a more healthy emerald green.

Donatello felt his shoulders slump in relief.

Raphael ground his teeth together and swallowed another scream. "Can't...can't believe you...dated me, after...after that." Raphael managed to grind out raggedly before taking a swift intake of breath that sounded painful.

Katherine let out a watery chuckle. "Me neither." She answered softly.

Raphael closed his eyes again, his features paling even more. Katherine shot a look at Donatello which he interpreted as a question of how much longer the needle would have to remain lodged in his brother's chest.

Donatello looked away before taking a breath and mouthing the words 'a few hours.'

Katherine's mouth fell open in shock as she went a shade paler than she already was. She gave a curt nod of understanding and turned her attention back to Raphael.

"Why did you trust me enough to show me where you lived, Raphael?" Katherine asked his brother quietly, changing topics again so that his brother had to think about the answer instead of his pain.

Donatello stilled, curious as to the answer. His brother had told Leonardo that he had been half out of his mind with pain and confusion, and Donatello had never challenged Raphael's claim. Donatello had thought that it was a reasonable explanation as to why Raphael had led a total and complete stranger to their hidden, and secretive home.

"You...you weren't s-scared of... of me." Raphael managed to choke out as he arched his back in pain.

Katherine put a gentle, but firm hand on Raphael's chest and pushed him back into the bed. "Why would I be scared of you?" Katherine asked in confusion, still attempting to take his brother's mind off of the pain.

Donatello looked at the clock and realized that only fifteen minutes had passed and the draining was going to take hours. Normally the needle would be removed and a plastic, less invasive needle would remain to slowly drain the fluid from the heart, but neither Raphael or Donatello had that luxury.

"Cause, I...I wasn't hu-human." Raphael stammered slightly as Katherine tenderly stroked her hand across Raphael's forehead and cheek. "But...but I saw th-that you didn't see-seem t-to care." Raphael swallowed roughly.

Katherine searched the bed anxiously bringing up a blanket and covering his brother as best as she could.

"Kitten... it hurts." Raphael ground out roughly, nearly delirious with pain.

"I know." She said as she brushed her hand lovingly across his brother's forehead again. "I know, but Donatello... " Katherine swallowed before continuing. "Donatello says that it will take a few hours before he can remove the needle." She whispered to him gently.

"Oh, God." Raphael rasped out, turning his head to the side as he let out a barely concealed sob.

Donatello knew how much this was costing Raphael. He knew his brother hated being vulnerable and weak. Having Katherine witness him writhing in pain was costing Raphael a lot.

"Raphael, look at me." Katherine prompted softly, turning Raphael's face back to Katherine's teary gaze. "I know. I know it hurts but... just stay with me, okay?"

Raphael managed a weak nod. Katherine then asked Raphael a question about what he wanted to do when he got home.

"Sleep." Raphael managed to groan out. Katherine chuckled.

"Besides sleep, what do you want?" Katherine tried again, her will battling against Raphael's pain.

"You." Raphael growled. "Don't care about anything else. I just want you. You're all I've ever wanted, or needed." Raphael managed to gasp out before his eyes rolled up into his head and his body went limp.

Donatello scrambled to check his brother's pulse and found a strong, healthy beat beneath his fingertips.

Donatello let out a sigh of relief as he brushed a shaky hand across his eyes. "He's unconscious." He told Katherine as she shot him an anxious look. "But... he's going to be fine." He said, his heart lightening with the knowledge that Raphael was not going to die.

Katherine slumped with relief; exhaustion heavy on her features. An uncomfortable silence settled between them. Both no doubt thinking about Raphael's last words before he had finally passed out due to the extreme pain he was suffering.

"Donatello..." She finally began, breaking the silence.

"I don't want to talk about it." He snapped, studiously ignoring Katherine's searching gaze, and concentrating instead on the fluid that continued to drip- slower now- into the bucket at his feet.

He was exhausted and he didn't want to talk about his heartbreak. Raphael was going to live, that is all he should care about right now, not his own broken heart and his hurt.

"So we are going to pretend that none of this," She made a circular motion with her hand encompassing herself, Raphael and Donatello. "Happened?" She asked.

"What do you want me to say, Katherine?" Donatello hissed angrily. "That even though we were together, your feelings for Raphael were so strong, that you were able to leave me, and pick up exactly where you and he left off?" Donatello bit out bitterly as he tried -and failed- to rein in his sudden fury.

The look of gentle love in her eyes as she gazed at Raphael had broken what had remained of his already shattered heart. He had been a fool to ever think that her feelings for him were ever stronger than those she had for his brother. But he knew the truth, and the truth was that he had just been a turtle replacement.

The stinging sound of a slap reverberated throughout the room as Donatello looked at Katherine in shock. Donatello rubbed at his burning cheek as he glared at her in angry disbelief.

Katherine's face had darkened with fury, her light green, tear filled eyes narrowed and full of barely restrained fury. "You can't have it both ways, Donatello." She hissed out, her jaw clenched tightly against whatever choice words she was restraining. "You can't just... You can't tell me to be with your brother and then be angry with me because I still love him enough to be with him. Either you believe that I loved you enough to be with you, or you don't. But let me remind you that I did not go running into Raphael's arms when we began having problems. Instead, I decided that our relationship was worth trying to save."

"Then how can you look at him the same way you looked at me?" He snapped out softly, not wanting to wake his unconscious brother.

"Because I never stopped loving Raphael." She said as she clutched her hand tightly over her heart. "Ever." She emphasized. She angrily dashed away a few rebellious tears that had refused to be blinked back. "Raphael punched me, but he didn't intentionally strike me. If he had purposely hit me then we would have been over. But it was my perception that he didn't trust me enough not to cheat on him. That is what hurt the most."

Her words struck a chord through Donatello, because he had accused her of the very same thing.

"I stayed away because I felt hurt, and I didn't want to come between Leonardo and Raphael. I also knew I could never be with someone who did not trust me." Her accusatory eyes bored into his and he felt a flood of shame rise up and consume him. She had loved him enough to try to work things out with him, and he had just thrown that back in her face.

"I hoped that one day Raphael would move on and that he would be able to be happy again. I closed the door on my love for Raphael. I still loved him, but he was a love that did not work out." Her voice was sad and wistful, but became stronger with her next words. "And then you came back into my life and I fell in love with you. I didn't mean to fall in love with you. The thought of dating the brother of a man I still held in my heart was... abhorrent to me. I wasn't going to date you, Donatello. Whatever we were doing, the friends with benefits thing, that all changed when I fell in love with you. I knew that it would be a betrayal to Raphael for us to actually start dating. What we had been doing was already a betrayal. But then Raphael and I talked. He felt betrayed by what we had done, but... the idea of me being in his life in some capacity, even if it was as his brother's girlfriend, was better than not having me in his life at all." Katherine took a steadying breath before continuing. "And Raphael loves you. He could see how happy you were with me, and how miserable the thought of losing me made you. He didn't want you to suffer that pain and loss. He also saw how happy you made me." Katherine turned her head away and stroked Raphael's cheek gently. "Raphael may be a selfish bastard most of the time, but he loves his family more than anything, and would do anything to save a brother from being hurt, even if the hurt is emotional."

Donatello looked at the side of her face and was rendered speechless. His anger was still simmering just below the surface, but it had been tempered slightly.

Katherine turned her attention back towards him, her green-blue eyes still moist with unshed tears. "You are the one that opened that door again. You are the one who told me to be with him if I could. You are the one who broke up with me, and said our relationship was a mistake." Katherine shook her head and dashed away the tears that finally rolled down her cheeks. "Do you think I like feeling like this; in love with two brothers?" She hissed angrily. "I know it was wrong of us to be dating. I know that there is probably this giant guy/brother code thing about dating your brother's ex. But I didn't care about that because I loved you. And no matter how guilty I felt about Raphael, I figured that our relationship was worth it if I was with the man I loved; a man I was hoping to spend the rest of my life with."

Donatello felt his mouth drop open slightly in shock as the leaden weight of the ring in his front pocket burned him. A black wave of despair opened up and swallowed him whole at her words. Donatello realized that Raphael was right; if Donatello had asked Katherine to marry him, she would have said 'Yes'.

"Katherine." Donatello managed to choke out, lifting his hand up slightly as if to reach out to her, but he pulled his hand back. She was no longer his to touch, not anymore. He had forced Katherine back into Raphael's arms so that his brother would fight to live, and he had. Raphael would survive, and now his brother would get to live the rest of his life with Katherine by his side.

"Donatello, this situation is..." She shook her head back and forth and wiped more tears from her cheeks. "I hate that I am in love with both of you. It is even worse that you are brothers. As far as I am concerned I am betraying both of you but..." She made a slicing motion through the air before continuing. "It doesn't matter. It's a decision we both have to live with now. And maybe it's selfish of me to say this, but I wouldn't change my decision, not for anything." She finished. The conversation was now over, because there wasn't anything left to say.

Donatello closed his eyes against the sharp pain in his heart. Katherine was right. He wouldn't change his decision either, because Donatello believed -with every fibre of his being- that Katherine had saved Raphael's life; twice. She had been the one thing that Raphael had fought to live for. She was also the one who pointed out his brother's blue colouring, insisting that something different was wrong with Raphael. If it hadn't been for that, he would have let his brother die, unaware that he could have saved him.

Perhaps he was being petty, but a part of him wished that Katherine at least felt as heartbroken as he did. He opened his eyes and studied Katherine's gaze intently, seeing the heartbreak swirling within the blue-green depths. It was then that Donatello understood that he had broken her heart, and that she was indeed heartbroken. But this knowledge gave him no comfort.

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**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome:)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alrighty, chapter 10 woot, woot;) **

**Anyway, a big giant thank you as always to Amonraphonix, who always pushes me to do better, and who always does a lovely job editing my chapters:)**

**also a big thank you to Kimie98, I love kittens too, and flamedragon242 for your wonderfiul reviews!**

**Please enjoy:)**

* * *

Chapter 10

**Donatello** watched as Raphael shifted uncomfortably in his bed. His brother had woken up sometime after he had removed the needle from his heart. Katherine had been there the entire time, not even resting when Donatello himself had collapsed exhausted in the only other usable bedroom. He had gotten a few hours of sleep, and Katherine had told him when he woke up that Raphael had drifted off to sleep almost as soon as Donatello had left the room.

Donatello realized that Katherine was making sure that at least one of them would always be awake and alert in case Raphael suddenly suffered a medical emergency regarding his still fragile heart.

It was now ten days later and Katherine was in the kitchen making something for Raphael to eat. Food had been delivered to the island from the mainland and luckily for them, the kitchen had suffered no damage during the storm; though the mansion would be unable to be repaired until they were able to leave the island. When that event was going to take place, Donatello was unsure.

The plane was still under repair, something about a part that had been ordered being the wrong one, and now they were trying to get in the correct one in. Katherine said they would be lucky to get off the island within the next month, though Donny was hoping they weren't going to be stuck here that long. Katherine had managed to call her boss at the museum and she took a leave of absence for 'a family emergency.'

Katherine herself could have easily gotten a flight off the island by hiring a private jet. But because the employees would not be employed by her family, she did not trust them enough to follow orders regarding Raphael and himself. Katherine's flight employees were under strict orders to remain within the cockpit at all times and no flight attendants. They were also so well paid that even if they did catch a glimpse of them, they were sworn to secrecy. And Katherine's family paid too well and was too powerful for anyone to want to lose their job, or incur their wrath.

Donatello had attempted to call both Leonardo and Michelangelo to tell them that Raphael was on the road to recovery, but both of his brother's voicemails were full.

Katherine had tried to get in touch with Holly as well, but was unable to get through, only getting her cousin's voicemail. Katherine had told them that; knowing her cousin, she had probably left her phone at home.

"How are you feeling?" Donatello asked his brother quietly.

Raphael shifted his eyes away, not looking Donatello in the eyes. "Fine." He growled softly.

Donatello resisted the urge to pull his brother's head back towards him, forcing him to look him in the eye. "Raph." He growled back, frustrated with his brother's simple answer.

Raphael took a deep breath and winced slightly. "Chest still hurts and I'm tired." He finally grumbled, still not looking Donatello in the eye.

Donatello nodded. He wasn't that surprised. He expected Raphael to feel weak and his chest to hurt for a few days. But his brother's eyes looked good; his heart sounded okay; his skin colour was better, and he wasn't experiencing any dizziness or blackouts. It would still take Raphael a few weeks to fully recover from his ordeal, but knowing his brother, he would be pushing himself to get out of bed much sooner than he was physically ready.

"You done poking and prodding me yet?" Raphael grumbled.

"Yes, Raph." Donatello sighed as turned to leave the room.

"Donny?" Raphael questioned softly.

Donatello turned and looked at Raphael over his shoulder.

Raphael's eyes darted away. He opened his mouth to say something, and then seemed to change his mind, closing his mouth with a snap.

Donatello waited patiently, knowing his brother well enough to know he had something to say and would say it when he was ready.

"When can I get outta this bed?" Raphael finally asked. Donatello had a feeling that this wasn't the question he had originally wanted to ask, but Donatello let it go, and answered his brother's question anyway.

"You are allowed to get up for short periods of time, but nothing too strenuous until your plastron heals. I don't want your heart rate increasing with ANY strenuous activity." He stressed the word 'any' in case Raphael had any ideas about having sex with Katherine now that they were together again. Donatello ignored the sickening nausea that rolled through him at the thought of Raphael making love to Katherine. He unclenched his jaw and managed to continue. "At least not until I know the infection has completely cleared up." His voice was surprisingly steady. "But over this next week you should be able to get up and walk around a little more, but you have to take it easy. You almost died, Raph." Donatello's voice gentled as he momentarily relived the horror of believing his brother had died. He shuddered slightly at the horrific memory.

"Okay, Donny." Raphael nodded.

Donatello felt his eyes widen in shock at his brother's easy acquiescence. He turned fully towards his brother then, a frown crossing his face as he studied his brother's averted eyes.

"Raph…" He began, but was interrupted as Katherine walked into the room carrying a tray.

"Hey." Katherine said with a smile. She looked at Raphael, her eyes straying towards Donatello before refocusing on Raphael again. Donatello watched as she strode over and placed the tray over Raphael's lap. Katherine still looked too pale, and seemed to have dark circles beneath her eyes indicating that she was not sleeping nearly enough; though if he were honest with himself, he had been having problems sleeping as well. Too many of his dreams featured Katherine vanishing from his arms forever, waking him up in the middle of the night to a fresh round of heartbreak.

Donatello turned to leave Katherine to her ministrations, feeling like too much of a third wheel.

"I made you a sandwich too, Donatello." Katherine said as she held a plate out that she had picked up from Raphael's tray.

He was tempted to not take the plate and tell Katherine that he wasn't hungry -which he wasn't- but Katherine had gone to the trouble of making him the sandwich, and he had to get used to Katherine and Raphael being together again. He would be stuck seeing Raphael and Katherine together in close quarters until they got off the island, and then he would see them together less often, but still, they would be together. At home however, at least he could go and hide in his lab and pretend that he wasn't heartbroken; that seeing Katherine and Raphael together did not twist a metaphorical knife painfully into his heart.

"Donatello?" Katherine asked as he blinked realizing he had been staring at her, and had left her holding the plate in the air.

"Thank you." He said as he reached out and took the plate from Katherine's outstretched hand.

Katherine gave him a look that told him she knew his thoughts exactly. He turned away slightly as Katherine turned her attention back to Raphael. Katherine sat down carefully beside Raphael, not eating herself, but rather helping Raphael with his chunky soup and toast with butter.

"I'm not a baby." Raphael snarled pulling the offered spoon away from Katherine's helping fingers.

Katherine blinked in shock and Donatello had to bite his tongue, wanting to snap at his brother and defend Katherine, but it was no longer his right to do so.

Katherine grinned widely and chuckled softly. She leaned over and brushed her cheek along Raphael's own pale, hollow one. "Cranky. I'll take cranky. Cranky is good." She said as she gave Raphael a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Raphael looked over at Katherine, slightly surprised by her reaction. Raphael gave an irritated huff and dug into his food, but not before Donatello had caught the look of relief and love that had filled his brother's eyes.

Katherine's sandwich tasted like ashes in his mouth. He quickly shoved the rest of it down his throat and swallowed before he excused himself and escaped from the room.

* * *

Another week passed and Raphael was able to get up and walk around for longer stretches of time. He had nearly recovered, which was a huge relief. Of course this meant that the longer Donatello had forced Raphael to stay in bed and to only get up for short periods of time, the more angry and cranky Raphael became.

Donatello had been trying to patch up the roof of the mansion as best as he could. He didn't have a lot of materials to work with, but there was another storm moving through the area and he had wanted to make sure the mansion was as watertight as it could be before it hit.

Donatello wiped the sweat from his brow and climbed down the ladder, satisfied that the tree frond thatch and scrap wood he had used to repair the roof in Raphael's old bedroom -once he had finally removed the fallen tree- was sufficient to at least keep some of the water out.

"Thirsty?" Katherine's voice asked from his elbow.

He looked over at her in shock, but taking the proffered glass of water. His throat was parched and he was feeling slightly exhausted.

"I don't think it's good for even a mutant turtle to be out in this heat for too long, Donatello." She said to him, her voice tinged with slight worry and concern.

Donatello gave her a slight smirk. "Thanks, but I'm fine, and I'm done anyway." He said looking at the dark clouds forming in the distance.

Katherine followed his gaze and nodded. "Thank you, Donatello." She said earnestly.

Donatello looked Katherine in the eyes then. The need to clutch her close and devour her lips in a hungry kiss rose within him at her look of thankfulness, appreciation and soft love that filled her eyes. Donatello reached out with his free hand and brushed his thumb across her scarred cheek; a scar given to her by his brother, who he had just pushed Katherine back into the arms of.

He pulled his hand back as if burned. Even that slight touch was too painful for him to bear. He turned and walked away without another word.

He walked back into the house as fast as he could, and closed his eyes in shame. He knew exactly what he had just said to her, without using any words; because he had never needed words with Katherine. She had always been able to read him so easily; an open book to her intelligent and intuitive eyes.

He swallowed down the lump in his throat. He had just told Katherine that he loved her; and that he would always love her, and he wished that things were different, but knew that they weren't… and never could be.

Her look of thankfulness and soft love had changed to heartbreak and pain, but underneath those emotions, was a love for him that would never dim or waiver.

He had needed to get away from that look as fast as he could, before he did something even more reprehensible than dating his brother's ex-girlfriend; something like kissing his brother's girlfriend, and telling her with words that he loved her, instead of a mere longing, love filled look and aching touch.

Donatello opened the front door and entered the cool interior of the house. He took a few steps into the foyer and stopped. Donatello dragged in a ragged breath, wondering if this awful feeling festering in his gut and tearing his heart and very soul to shreds was what Raphael had to live with this past year that Donatello was dating Katherine; that heart wrenching need to have what you knew you could never have again.

Donatello felt tears spring to his eyes.

Suddenly pain exploded through his jaw as Donatello went sprawling onto the marble floor. Donatello looked up into the furious, amber eyes of his older brother.

"You bastard." Raphael snarled, glaring angrily down at him.

Donatello closed his eyes, hoping his older brother would just beat the crap out of him. At least then some of the agony he felt on the inside would be reflected on the outside.

Donatello opened his eyes when the next blow did not come. Raphael was rubbing his plastron right over his heart.

Donatello scrambled to his feet, concern and dread flooding through him as he worried that Raphael may have pushed himself too far.

"Raph, are you okay?" He asked anxiously, placing a light hand on Raphael's shoulder. Raphael shrugged off his gentle touch.

"I'm fine except for the fact that my brother is a bastard." Raphael ground out through clenched teeth, taking his hand away from his chest.

Donatello flinched at the harsh accusation, but did not deny it.

"I can't believe you would do this to me, Donny." Raphael accused, his amber eyes swimming with hurt and anger.

Donatello hung his head in shame, knowing that Raphael had obviously seen at least some of his interaction with Katherine; maybe even believed that Donatello had stepped over that line and kissed her.

"Or her." Raphael stated with a low hiss.

Donatello frowned and lifted his head up in confusion.

"Don't think I don't know what you did." Raphael growled, his hands clenched tightly at his side, knuckles turning white.

"I didn't do anything, Raph." He finally said, wanting to let his brother know that he would never cross the line with Katherine, except... he just had.

"Don't lie to me, Donny! You made Katherine tell me that she would be with me." He growled.

Donatello's eyes widened in shock. "What?" He asked in surprise.

"Don't try to play innocent with me, Donny; it doesn't look good on you." Raphael growled and took a threatening step towards him.

"Raph, I…" He began, but Raphael silenced him with a look.

"You still love her, and she still loves you, which means that you figured the only way for me to fight to live was to fight to be with her!" Raphael snarled. "So you gave her back! You probably told her that if she wanted to save my life, she would have to be with me again."

"It worked, didn't it?" He shot back, his own anger rising within him, not denying the accusation because it was the absolute truth.

Raphael flinched slightly, his eyes narrowing into angry slits of golden rage. Raphael pulled back his fist and let it fly at Donatello's face, this time, Donatello caught his brother's punch easily.

Raphael was still not fully recovered; couple that with his long and nearly fatal illness, and he was not even close to his normal fighting level.

Donatello squeezed Raphael's hand slightly, just to get his brother's attention. His brother winced a little, and ground his teeth together at his painfully obvious weakness.

"You already knew that her promise to you was to save your life, Raph." He told his brother, taking a step towards him.

"And you are the one who forced her to make that promise to me, because you knew that she would never just sit back and let me die!" Raphael accused angrily.

Donatello squeezed his brother's hand more tightly to emphasize his point. "And you know that Katherine would never promise something she could never give. She loves _you,_ Raph." Donatello released his brother's hand and continued. "Believe me; I didn't have to twist her arm around for her to go to you. She loves me, but it's you she really loves. It was always you." He said bitterly. "You were right, I was just a replacement." Donatello turned away from his brother's shocked face.

"Bullshit." Raphael ground out.

Donatello stopped and looked at his brother over his shoulder.

"I've seen the way she looks at you, Donny." Raphael flexed the hand that Donatello had crushed slightly.

"Yeah, and I've seen the way she looks at you." Donatello shot back at his brother. Raphael glared at him slightly his eyes darting from side to side as if he was trying to figure out what to say next. Donatello saved him the trouble. "Doesn't matter, Raph, she chose you." Donatello turned his head and began walking away.

"Under duress." Raphael shot back at his retreating shell.

Donatello was surprised his brother even knew what 'duress' meant, but he supposed if Raphael had watched enough military movies or cop shows, he may have picked the meaning up.

"Are you two okay?" Katherine's voice interrupted. Donatello quickly turned and watched her walk fully into the foyer.

Raphael stopped flexing his hand and straightened a little, looking over at Katherine.

Fear rode down Donatello's spine, worried that Raphael was going to turn his anger towards Katherine. Instead Raphael reached out and gently pulled Katherine towards him. Katherine allowed Raphael to pull her into his arms.

"We're good, Kitten." Raphael's gravelly voice rumbled deeply.

Katherine looked nervously at Donatello before Raphael turned her head back towards himself. Raphael stroked a thumb across her scarred cheek, just as Donatello had done moments before, then he leaned down and kissed her, devouring her like she was everything; his whole world all wrapped up into one amazing, petite little package.

Donatello fought down his bitter, angry jealousy.

Raphael pulled away slightly his eyes shifting from Katherine –whose eyes were still partially closed- to Donatello, almost as if he was mocking him.

Donatello visibly flinched, and turned away quickly, walking towards the library_. _

_It didn't matter. _He thought to himself bitterly._ Katherine had made her decision, and she was never going to regret her choice, or change her mind._

* * *

**Michelangelo** followed Leonardo into the lair. Every taunt line of his brother's body proclaimed his intense anger, all of which was directed at him.

"I'm sorry, okay, Leo." He apologized for what felt like the millionth time.

Leonardo rounded on him, his dark brown eyes narrowed into slits of pure fury. Michelangelo flinched back from the look. He was not used to having that look thrown his way. He had seen it when Leonardo and Raphael had their arguments, but never had this look been turned on him directly.

"I said I was sorry!" He protested. "I don't know what more you want me to say!"

Leonardo looked so angry that he didn't think his brother could even speak at the moment. Michelangelo could see his brother counting to ten, probably in different languages just to calm down enough to speak to him.

"Mikey, I'm tired. I just want to go to bed." Leonardo finally growled. "I just want to talk to Donny and Raph, and make sure Raph is okay before I go to bed."

"I know, but..." He began, but Leonardo cut him off.

"We were supposed to go camping for ten days Mikey. Ten. Instead, we've been gone for over a month!" Leonardo snarled. "After Holly went home we should have went with her, but no, you wanted to camp some more, and I was fine with that. We were having fun. I knew that Raph and Donny wouldn't be home for a few days, and wouldn't worry; especially when Holly said she would call Kitten when she got home and tell them that we were going to camp for longer, since our phones had no signal, and you broke hers." Leonardo took a deep breath and continued his rant. "But then you had to get us lost! Eventually our phones died, and we couldn't even call for help! We wandered around for two weeks before we found Holly's SUV. Then it took us two days to drive home!"

"We weren't lost for two weeks!" He defended. "Only a week, we just didn't know we were lost for the other week. And I've already said I was sorry for not charging my phone before we left. Besides you are the one who got angry and threw your phone into the bush and lost it, so don't blame me for that." He shot back. "And it isn't _my_ fault your girlfriend dumped you." Michelangelo growled and instantly regretted his words at the hurt look on his brother's face. Michelangelo had thought that going camping, just the two of them, would help to take Leonardo's mind off of his break-up with Karai. He hadn't asked what had happened, waiting for Leonardo to tell him, but his brother had just said that things didn't work out. And even though Leonardo didn't appear to be overly heartbroken, sometimes it was hard to tell. Leonardo tended to bottle all of his emotions up, so Michelangelo had been treading very carefully. At least… he had been until the thoughtless comment he had just thrown back in his brother's face. "I- " He began to apologize, but Leonardo only held up a silencing hand.

"It's okay, Mikey, I'm sorry. This isn't your fault. I know you were just trying to make me feel better, but it's been a long month, and I've just had this bad feeling sitting in my gut that something's wrong. It was a long drive home, and I'm just really tired." Leonardo rubbed at his eyes with his fingers. "We are also going to have to find some way to get Holly's SUV back to her." Leonardo said tiredly.

"That's no problem, Holly said we could keep it as long as we wanted, and she wasn't even mad that I broke her phone." Michelangelo pointed out happily. "I should probably call her and tell her that we made it home safe though. And I am sure everything is fine." Michelangelo pointed out with a big smile.

Leonardo sighed. "You're probably right." Leonardo conceded, rubbing a hand across his plastron right over his stomach.

Michelangelo knew that Leonardo was worried, but his oldest brother was convinced that Raphael and Donatello had probably formed a search party, and had gone looking for them when they hadn't returned. Michelangelo didn't think that they would have, at least... he hoped not. And he and Leonardo would have called but finding a payphone in the middle of no-where was impossible.

Leonardo looked around and called out. "Raph, Donny, we're home!"

Michelangelo and Leonardo listened but only received silence in response.

"Maybe they went to Kitten's." Michelangelo suggested. It happened often, though he wasn't sure how that would work now that things were so strained between Donatello and Katherine. Michelangelo felt a twinge of guilt at having caused the rift between his brother and his girlfriend, and he could only hope that they had managed to work everything out.

Leonardo nodded in agreement. "Well hopefully they got Holly's message. They must be worried sick since we are nine days overdue."

They walked into the living room and then into the kitchen. The silence of the lair was oddly eerie and disturbing.

Leonardo walked over to the fridge and opened it. It was empty save for a jar of pickles, a bottle of mustard, and a box of baking soda. Michelangelo frowned.

Usually the fridge would be well stocked. Katherine made sure there was always healthy food in the fridge. She had a thing against them eating junk all the time.

"Mikey..." Leonardo began, closing the fridge door softly before striding from the kitchen, up the stairs, and into Raphael's bedroom. Michelangelo followed closely on his older brother's heels, stopping just outside of Raphael's bedroom. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, and it would be hard to tell if Raphael had used the room recently. "Raph's duffel bag isn't here." He said as he strode out of the room and into Donatello's bedroom, which was neater, but still had a messy quality to it. "Donny's gear isn't here either."

Michelangelo followed Leonardo out and back down the stairs and into the kitchen again. "They could still be at Kitten's or maybe they decided to stay on the island longer." Michelangelo ventured, his own gut beginning to clench with worry.

"Mikey, give me your phone." Leonardo ordered, dragging his phone charger out from one of the kitchen drawers.

Michelangelo reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He plugged it into the wall. It would of course take a few minutes to charge up enough to even use, and during this time Leonardo began a systematic sweep of the lair, looking for any sign that Donatello and Raphael had actually made it back to the lair.

Entering the kitchen and shaking his head negative at finding any sign of Raphael or Donatello, Leonardo snatched up the phone.

Michelangelo strode over and pulled the phone from Leonardo's grasp. He felt his eye ridges raise in surprise. "Sixty-three missed calls." He said looking at who had called.

"Sixty-three! Mikey, they must be worried sick about us!" His brother tried snatching his phone, but Michelangelo pulled his phone away.

"Donny's called a lot, but so has Holly." He said as he checked how many messages he had. "I have fifteen messages." He said in surprise.

"Your voicemail is full." Leonardo growled.

"Calm down, Leo, geez." Michelangelo held up his hand, called his voicemail and put in his password.

"Put it on speaker." Leonardo ordered.

Michelangelo glared at his brother. "There might be something private from Holly on here." He said pulling the phone away slightly.

"Mikey." Leonardo growled.

"Fine." Michelangelo capitulated as he placed it on speaker. The first three messages were from Donatello, but they were unable to clearly hear what he was saying, the static being too thick.

"I can't understand a thing Donny is saying." Michelangelo grumbled as the next message played.

"Mikey, I've been trying to get a hold of you guys. I've left messages on your phones. The storm is pretty bad and I think I'll be lucky if this get's through..." There was a slight pause. "Raph's gotten worse." There was a slight hitch in Donatello's voice as if he were trying to hold back tears. "He... I thought it was his liver at first but... I don't know what it is now, and he... just call me when you get this." Donatello's brisk voice said, and the call was abruptly ended.

Michelangelo felt a heavy ball of fear curl up in his stomach as an icy shiver of dread ran down his spine.

The next message played. "Hey Mikey..." There was a pause, Donatello's voice sounding broken and shaken. "If you heard about the storm, we're fine, the mansion was damaged but we are all okay. Katherine needed a few stitches..." Donatello paused again. "But we won't be coming home, the plane was damaged in the storm, and I don't know when we will be able to be picked up." Donatello paused, his voice sounding even shakier. "I... I didn't want to... to worry you... Raph's... He's not, not doing very well. He's been in a coma for... for four days, we... we're hoping he... that he wakes up soon. I really need to talk to you guys. Raph has Yellow Fever. I'm... I'm doing everything I can, but... Just call me when you get this."

Michelangelo swallowed down his horror. The hand that was holding the phone was shaking so badly that Leonardo took the phone from him, and placed it on the counter. He could feel tears stinging his eyes and black spots dancing before his vision. He looked over at Leonardo, who had paled, but seemed to be trying to hold himself together.

"I'm sure he's fine, Mikey." Leonardo whispered hoarsely, his voice shaking and trying to sound confident and calm, but he wasn't succeeding.

The next eight messages were from Holly telling them about the storm, the delay in the plane, another delay with the plane and then her worried calls when Michelangelo and Leonardo weren't home when they said they were supposed to be.

Michelangelo would normally have been happy that Holly was so concerned about him, and that she had called him so much. But at the moment, all he wanted to hear was more news about his sick brother. There was one more message and he actually prayed that it wasn't from Holly.

The next message began. There was silence at first and Michelangelo wondered if there wasn't going to be a message; then Donatello's heartbroken, sobbing voice finally spoke. "Mikey... God, I never wanted to tell you guys this way. I wanted... I wanted to... to be able to at least speak... speak to you… in person… but... I tried." Donatello choked out wretchedly. There was more broken sobbing before Donatello managed to collect himself enough to talk again. "He... Raph woke up, but... he tried fighting it, he did, but in the end he... he just couldn't... He won't make it through the night. He has a few hours left… maybe… if he's lucky. We... we'll cremate him here and we... he wants to be buried next to Master S-Splinter. Could you... could you tell... April and Casey what happened and... I'm so, so, sorry. I did… I-I did everything I could." Donatello stammered out before the message abruptly ended. There were no others, his voicemail had been full.

Michelangelo felt his legs give way as he slumped to the floor in shock. _It wasn't true._ He thought to himself_. It just... it couldn't be true, Raph couldn't be... dead_._ He would know if a brother died; he would feel it. Wouldn't he?_ He wildly shook his head from side to side in denial. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably, knees pulled up to his chest, arms hugging them tightly to his plastron. He shook uncontrollably, heart wrenching sobs coming from the very depths of his soul.

He felt strong arms surround him, quietly murmuring words that were trying to comfort him. But he knew there was no amount of comfort that could ever be able to console him.

"What... what... what do we do?" He managed to choke out between grief stricken sobs.

Leonardo pulled away slightly and Michelangelo looked into Leonardo' tear filled eyes. "We... we wait for Donny to bring our brother home, and we... we fulfill his last request to be buried next to our father."

"He can't be gone, Leo. He just can't be." He pleaded desperately.

"I… I know, Mikey." Leonardo sobbed out, trying to wipe away his tears, and hug Michelangelo at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Leo. I'm sorry… you were… right. There… was something… something wrong. And-"

"Oh, God, Donny." Leonardo suddenly interrupted, scrambling for the phone. He reached up and pulled it down from the counter.

Michelangelo felt a renewed wave of grief wash over him, this time, it was tinged with guilt. While they had been out having fun, Donatello had been fighting to save Raphael's life, then watch as Raphael died right in front of him, and then he had to deal with Raphael's body, all on his own save for Katherine.

"Katherine." He whispered wretchedly.

Michelangelo knew Katherine loved Raphael, and he wasn't exactly sure in what way she had loved his hot-headed brother… but regardless, she had to watch him slowly die right in front of her.

They shared a horrified look, and Leonardo's shaky fingers dialled Donatello's cell. They both waited in mournful silence, the occasional sniff and choked out whimper breaking the grief filled silence, as Donatello's voicemail kicked in.

Leonardo hung up without leaving a message. "I'll try again later." He whispered wretchedly. "You... you'd better call Holly and... and tell her that we... we are safe."

Michelangelo managed a small, miserable nod.

"I... I'll call April and… and Casey." Leonardo whispered despondantly.

* * *

**Bum bum bummmmmm LOL**

**Mikey and Leo think Raph's dead, oh the angst!**

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome:D**


	11. Chapter 11

**A big giant thank you as always to Amonraphoenix, who took time out of her insanely busy schedule to beta read this fic, and to offer up some great ideas and suggestions, you are the best EVER!**

**Also a big thank you to Kimmie98, I love Kittens too, and sweetsilent3 for your wonderful reviews!:)**

**Warning this chapter contains mature content. (though I did heavily edit it due to not wanting to have me and my story kicked of the fanfic site:( boo)**

**But I hope everyone will enjoy anyway...**

* * *

**Donatello** slammed the top of the laptop closed in frustration. A tropical storm had rolled in, and his signal had been going from bad to worse for the last several hours. He had closed himself up in the library after his conversation with Raphael and that had been several hours ago. He had missed dinner and no one had looked for him - not that he was hungry- but he had been thankful for the quiet respite.

He slid his chair back from the desk he had been sitting behind, and stood up. He began to pace around the room. He listened to the rain hitting the roof for a few minutes before he rubbed his hands down his face as he replayed his conversation with his brother over and over again in his head.

Donatello had forced Katherine into Raphael's arms, and he didn't regret saving his brother's life; how could he, he loved his brother. But knowing that his brother was probably holding Katherine in his arms right now…

Donatello shook his head trying to repress the images of what Raphael and Katherine were probably doing at this moment. He strode past the sideboard a few more times before he took notice of it. There was a decanter of some sort of bronze liquid; rum or scotch, maybe even whiskey, he wasn't sure. His beak wrinkled in disgust before his eyes drifted down to the wine rack underneath. He stooped down and searched the contents of the wine rack, pulling out a bottle of red wine.

He looked at the bottle of wine for a moment, and slowly stood. Katherine was the one who knew all of the good wines. Even though she never really drank, she did know which wines were light and fruity instead of tart and bitter.

Donatello looked at the sideboard and opened a drawer, looking for a cork screw. Finding one, he pulled the wrapper from the top and inserted the metal tip into the soft cork. He pulled the cork out in one swift motion and took a sniff, shrugging at the strong smell of the tart red wine.

He looked around for a glass and only found the four crystal tumblers that belonged with the decanter.

Donatello looked at the bottle of wine, shrugged again, and brought the rim of the bottle to his lips. He gulped down several swigs of wine before pulling the bottle away and allowing his taste buds to catch up.

The wine was strong, but he supposed it was drinkable. It wasn't overly bitter, but it didn't have the pleasant fruity taste he enjoyed either. Though he supposed if he drank enough of it, he wouldn't care what it tasted like. He tipped his head back and drank deeply, the warm liquid flowing down his throat to pool in his belly.

He pulled the bottle away from his lips and looked at it in surprise. He had drank nearly three quarters of the bottle already, and yet it had done nothing to dull the pain that was still radiating from the black pit of despair within his chest; located right where his heart used to be.

He walked over to an upholstered, plush, burgundy and wood settee, slumping down and pounding back more of the wine.

Logically he knew that he would not be able to drown his sorrow and heartbreak in the bottom of a liquor bottle; but illogically, he hoped that it would at least numb the pain for a little while.

He knew he was being ridiculous. Katherine and Raphael had been together for nearly three weeks, but he supposed it was because Raphael had been bedridden -recovering, and mostly sleeping- that it hadn't felt like they were actually a couple. Now his brother -though not even close to being fully recovered- was well enough to be out of bed for longer periods of time and had been allowed some physical activity to begin to strengthen his unused muscles.

Which meant that Donatello had no doubt that Raphael would be eagerly stripping Katherine naked, and gingerly making passionate love to her; not stressing his heart too much, but enough to get his blood pumping.

Donatello tipped his head back and took another swig of the wine, hoping to erase the image he had just conjured up in his mind from his head. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there on the settee trying to accomplish this task, when Raphael walked into the library.

"You okay, Donny? You've been in here…" Raphael began, his voice trailing off and stopping just inside the room. "Donny?" Raphael quickly turned and closed the door before rounding on Donatello angrily. "What the hell are you doing?"he hissed angrily.

Donatello looked down at the nearly empty bottle of wine in his hand, and the empty bottle on the floor. He frowned, wondering when he had opened the second bottle of wine. "I think… I think…it… would be... obvious," he managed to say, not slurring or stumbling over his words too much.

Raphael bent down and picked up the empty bottle by his foot. "You were the one who gave me shit for wreckin' my liver by drinkin', and now you're pissed out of your mind!" his brother snarled at him.

Donatello finished off the contents of the bottle in his hand and dropped the empty bottle to the floor as he stood up. His world tilted and rolled to the left. He nearly fell over but managed to regain his balance. "Not… not drunk… enough..." He growled as he stumbled over to the sideboard, intent on another bottle.

"Whoa, Donny." Raphael said, placing a restraining hand on his shoulder. " I think you've had more than enough."

"Nope, not even close. Still conscious," he grumbled, pulling away from his brother's restraining hand.

"You think this will make the hurt and pain go away?" Raphael snapped, throwing the empty bottle to the ground, where it bounced and rolled towards the wall.

"Nope," Donatello said shaking his head back and forth. "Just... wanna sleep," he whispered. He wanted to be able to sleep without having Katherine invade his dreams each and every single night.

Raphael sighed and walked over to the sideboard, grabbing out a bottle of wine. He picked up the corkscrew and uncorked the bottle. "It won't help, Donny. She'll be in your head forever; trust me," Raphael grumbled as he lifted up a tumbler from the tray, pouring in half a glass of wine, and downing the contents in one swift motion.

Donatello sobered slightly as he looked at his brother in shocked disbelief. "Raph… you… you've been sober for over two years, what… what are you doing?! You… your liver isn't nearly recovered enough!" he protested in horror.

"Humph," Raphael snorted with a casual shrug. "Just trying to drink away the guilt of stealing my brother's girl," Raphael replied calmly, pouring himself another glass of wine and staring at it, a miserable look on his face before he downed the entire contents in one gulp.

"You didn't steal her, Raph," Donatello mumbled quietly.

"Then why the hell do I feel so guilty, huh, Donny?" Raphael growled. "And the worst part is that I don't even know if it's me she really loves. I mean, I know she loves me, but…I know you two were havening some sort of...problems, and if you two had broken up, that would have been fine, I could be with her and be guilt free, but..I can't stand the thought that the only reason she is with me is because she thought I was gonna die..." Raphael stood suddenly. "Is this how you felt for the past year? A clawing, sick feeling rolling around in your gut every time you take her in your arms; knowing that your brother is in love with the same woman, who is your entire world... and his?" Raphael asked desperately.

"Pretty much," Donatello answered softly.

Raphael nodded pouring and downing another glass of wine.

"Is this what it feels like to lose her forever?" Donatello whispered wretchedly.

"Yup," Raphael answered as they both sank morosely into their own dark thoughts.

"Screw this shit!" Raphael suddenly yelled, throwing the crystal tumbler into the fireplace where it shattered. "Whatever promise she made to me on my death bed, forget about it," Raphael said shaking his head and making a slicing motion with his hand. "I want to say that we should both just forget about her and try to get on with our lives, but … I almost died, and all I could think about was not being able to be with her anymore. So... she has to choose; me or you. At least then the better turtle wins and the loser gets to move on with his life; as best as he can. No regrets and no guilt for whoever wins."

"Raph, Katherine won't agree to something like that. She-" Donatello began to protest the idea before Raphael cut him off.

"No, Donny. If I'm going to feel this horrible clawing guilt for the rest of my life, I wanna know I got her fair and square," Raphael growled.

At that moment Katherine opened the door to the library. She entered, shivering and soaking wet.

"What happened?" Donatello asked with concern, swinging his head around too quickly, causing his world swim alarmingly.

"Kitten?" Raphael questioned in worry.

"The roof above the bed sprung a leak… a big one." She said shivering slightly. "And all of the clothes I had washed were all in the laundry basket by the bed. We hadn't done laundry in so long that I washed everything, but didn't get a chance to fold it all or put it away. So the only dry clothes left in the house are what you two are wearing," she said as Raphael took a few steps towards her and stopped.

"You've got to get out of those wet clothes, Katherine," Donatello said with concern as he approached her unsteadily.

Katherine frowned. "Donatello, are you…drunk?" she asked in shock.

Donatello just waved away her observation. "You're freezing, you need to get warm and dry." He said.

"How?" She said. "All of my clothes and your clothes are wet. The sheets on Raphael's bed are soaked, and I was folding your bedding when the roof gave way."

Donatello looked down at himself. He was bare-chested and so was Raphael. His eyes shot to the pile of blankets in the corner of the library; the ones they had used when they had moved Raphael into the library during the initial storm.

"There's a fireplace in here," Raphael pointed out, motioning towards the intricately carved stone mantel on the far wall.

"Perfect," Donatello said as he stumbled over and stood in front of Katherine. "Raph, start a fire. We can get her warm, dried off, and dry her clothes," he said slipping his hands around her waist and under her sodden shirt.

"Donatello!" Katherine protested trying to step away, but not before he managed to easily lift the flimsy tank-top up and over her head. Donatello noticed that Katherine had not been wearing a bra, exposing her naked breasts to the cold air.

"Donny," Raphael growled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Raphael's voice sounded slightly breathy under the low threatening growl.

"Taking her clothes off," Donatello answered reasonably. Reaching out and snagging Katherine by the front of her sweat shorts and pulling them down along with her underwear in one smooth motion. Katherine tried stopping him, but he had gotten very good at quickly getting Katherine out of her clothing. She stumbled back and ended up sprawled on the floor, completely naked.

"Donny!" Raphael snarled in protest, moving forward towards Katherine with a sheet he had snatched up from the floor. Raphael stopped and stared, drinking in her naked body like a man deprived of water for far too long.

Katherine's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Raphael, have you been drinking too?" she asked, stunned.

Raphael didn't seem to be able to answer, and Donatello's own mind was having problems forming a single coherent thought at the moment as well.

"I forgot how magnificent you are," Raphael whispered in awe.

"Great, you're both drunk," Katherine growled as she got to her feet. "Raphael, throw me the sheet, now, because even though I know you have both seen me naked, I am freezing, and I don't like the way you are both looking at me."

Raphael clutched the sheet in his hands more tightly. "You… you need to choose, Katherine," Raphael ground out seriously, using Katherine's full name.

"Great, I choose to be warm," she growled in irritation striding towards Raphael.

"You need to choose between us." Raphael said, moving the sheet out of Katherine's reach.

"W-what?" she asked in confusion. "Raphael, this isn't funny."

"No, it isn't," Raphael answered grimly. "Katherine, I love you, and I know you love me, but… you love Donny too, and he still loves you. So forget all that crap you promised me when you thought I was dyin'. Just… chose who you love more, me or him."

Katherine looked back and forth between them, her arms wrapped around her cold body. "Forget this. I'll talk to you two when you both sober up," she said turning away and heading towards the bed of blankets on the floor.

Raphael reached out and stopped her. "Katherine," he said grabbing her arm.

"Raphael, I am freezing, and I am _not_ having this conversation with you right now," Katherine said trying to pull away.

Raphael wrapped the sheet around her, pulling her in close. Donatello stumbled over to the sideboard and poured Katherine a glass of wine. He tried to clear his head slightly as he walked over and handed her the crystal tumbler.

"This will warm you up," Donatello told her as she took the glass of wine from him.

"Thank you," she said as she took a slight sip, made a grimace of distaste and drank the rest of the glass down in one gulp.

She took a deep breath seeming to calm herself down. She laid her head upon Raphael's shoulder and closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms more tightly around her.

Donatello took the empty glass from her hand and refilled it. There was a sudden crack of lightning followed by the low rumble of thunder. The lights in the room flickered and then went out. They waited a few minutes in silence for the generator to kick in, but it never did, the room remaining dark.

A few moments later the room was lit with the soft glow of a single candle. Donatello went around the room and lit a few more. Donatello tended to keep a lighter in his pocket in case of emergencies.

Katherine's uncle had decorated the library with an old, turn of the 18th century English manor feel, and there were many candle scattered about. Donatello lit a few more before returning to Katherine's side.

By this time her glass was empty again and Donatello offered up another, which she drank down, but declined another glass. "I'm already fairly drunk, Donatello, I don't think I need to get any drunker." She said as Donatello looked at the rest of the wine and drank the remaining contents from the bottle.

"Are you still cold?" Raphael asked brushing his thumb across her scarred cheek lovingly.

"A little," she admitted as Raphael pulled her even more tightly against his body.

Donatello wanted to look away; wanted to tear his eyes from the sight of his torment, but he seemed unable to.

"I know a way to warm you up," Raphael whispered suggestively, a look of hunger filled lust filling his golden amber eyes.

Donatello felt himself blush slightly at the heated suggestion.

"Raphael…" Katherine began, but Raphael silenced her with a hungry kiss.

Raphael finally pulled back. "Whose kiss do you crave more, Katherine?" Raphael asked as he searched her face desperately; an orange glow gently lighting her red tinged cheeks.

"R-" she was interrupted again.

"Is it me?" Raphael asked. "Is it my touch that gives you shivers of desire that run down your back and makes you ache with need?" he asked brushing the sheet aside slightly and running his fingers down her lower back and across her ass.

Katherine tried to step away, but Raphael held her fast against him.

"Or is it Donny that you really want?" he asked into her ear huskily.

Katherine's eyes darted to Donatello who stepped towards her, not knowing what Raphael was doing, but wondering if his brother was angry.

"Choose, Katherine," Raphael purred as he kissed and nipped at her neck.

"I… I can't…" Katherine whispered, her eyes sliding closed as she responded to Raphael's attentions.

"Kiss her, Donny," Raphael ordered suddenly. "I want to see who she wants more, me or you."

Donatello was already at her side, sliding his hand around her naked waist and pulling her in close. He wasn't thinking about what he was doing, or how wrong and confusing it was. He had been craving, no, needing her kiss for nearly three weeks and he wanted to taste her again.

"Don-" she protested before he claimed her lips in a searing kiss that was hesitant at first, before finally being returned with the same amount of fervour and need that he gave.

She was suddenly pulled away and Donatello groaned in protest. It was like living in the dark and finally being shown the light, only to have it suddenly and painfully extinguished

"Who do you want, Katherine?" Raphael asked as he trailed kisses down her neck to her bare shoulder before pushing the sheet off, leaving her naked and exposed.

"I don't… I can't…" her voice trailed off as Raphael leaned down and licked a trail across her neck. Katherine gasped slightly as she tried half-heartedly to push Raphael away, her gaze flying to Donatello.

Donatello strode forward. "Who do you really want, Katherine, me or Raph?" he asked as he wrapped his arm around her waist again and nuzzled her neck trailing kisses just under her jaw and up to her ear, which he began to nibble on.

Katherine threw back her head and moaned her arms flung around both his own shoulders as well as Raphael's.

Raphael lifted his head up to whisper in her ear. "Who is it that makes you wet and burning with desire?" His hand trailed down the flat plane of her stomach and stopped briefly at the small patch of hair before sliding lower.

Katherine groaned and writhed slightly in response.

"Who do you want inside of you? Whose name do you need to scream in pleasure?" Raphael asked his words low and husky. He continued his torturous attentions as Donatello moved from her ear and trailed kisses down her neck.

Katherine -head still tipped back- gave a throaty growl of need, desire and lust. Donatello was never able to resist that sound. He was never able to resist her body, naked to his eye, and pleasing to his touch. Every sense he had was stirred and awakened by her and Raphael apparently had the same weakness.

Katherine appeared to gain enough willpower to pull away from both Raphael and Donatello. "Stop," she whispered, stumbling back slightly. She wavered a little on her feet but managed to regain her balance.

Donatello realized that Katherine was drunk, probably not as drunk as Raphael and himself, but drunk none-the-less.

"You… you can't just seduce me," she said shaking her head back and forth. "Sex is sex, sometimes it's more; but I just can't…" she clutched at her head and closed her eyes.

Raphael was at her side, touching her cheek gently. "I want you Katherine." Raphael growled tipping her head up so she had to look him in the eyes. "I want every single bit of you; heart, body and soul. But right now, all I want is to be inside you, and hear you call out my name."

"Raphael-" she began, but Raphael cut her off, his amber eyes were narrowed into thin golden slits.

"Who do you want, Katherine?" Raphael's voice was more of a possessive growl than actual words. It was as if Raphael was holding onto some small shred of sanity, and it wouldn't be long before it broke ,sending him over the edge; where there would be no more holding him back.

Donatello strode over to Katherine, pulling her from his brother's arms. He was tired of seeing the torn, lost look in her eyes. "Maybe you just need to be reminded of what we had," Donatello whispered as he nuzzled her neck again, kissing and nipping at it. He realized that he would be lucky if Raphael didn't pull her away from him and beat him into a bloody pulp within the next few seconds for pulling her away.

"And maybe she needs to remember what it was like bein' with me, Donny," Raphael growled.

Donatello felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and pull him back slightly. Donatello felt his lips pull back in a snarl. "I bet I am a better lover than you, Raph, so this might not be the best way of determining who Katherine wants more." Donatello knew that his words were a low blow, but he was tired of Raphael trying to push him around. His eyes slid over and met his brother's furious amber gaze.

"Okay, I think…-s time, "Katherine began, attempting not to slur her words. "-I think _it_ _is_ time for me to leave," Katherine finished pulling away from Donatello and trying to slip away.

Donatello grabbed onto Katherine's arm, halting her progress.

Raphael's gaze narrowed. "Fine, Donny. You wanna see who the better lover is, you're on," Raphael growled grabbing Katherine's other arm. "The one, who makes her scream their name, wins."

"That's not-" Katherine began, but Donatello was no longer listening to anything she was saying.

"Fine," Donatello growled, agreeing to his brother's challenge. "Wait, at the same time?" he asked in confusion, his more logical head beginning to function a little.

"How else are we gonna see who wins?" Raphael pointed out logically.

Donatello frowned and nodded. It made perfect sense to his alcohol fueled brain.

"Seriously?" Katherine asked in exasperation. "I'm not a-"

Raphael cut Katherine off by claiming her lips in a passionate kiss. Raphael pulled away from their kiss. "I'm going to make you scream my name, Kitten." he whispered provocatively.

Katherine's eyes searched Raphael's and then shot to Donatello. "Fine, you two want to play this game, we'll see who gets who to scream," Katherine purred, her voice taking on a lustful, seductive quality that made Donatello's blood rush to all the right places.

Raphael growled low in his chest and claimed Katherine's lips again; while Donatello walked up behind Katherine, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her hard against his plastron. He trailed kisses across her shoulders while his hand slid down her back to cup her ass before exploring the tight wet warmth between her legs with his fingers.

Raphael suddenly stumbled back, pulling Katherine with him, which pulled Donatello -already unsteady on his feet- down as well. They all landed in a tangled pile. Raphael was on the bottom while Katherine lay on his plastron. Donatello lay on his side his body slightly lower that both Katherine and Raphael, his world swimming slightly.

Katherine sat up, her naked body glorious in the candlelight. She straddled Raphael about the hips for a moment before leaning down and kissing Raphael passionately. Donatello could see Raphael was going to attempt to roll Katherine beneath him, but instead she slid down his body.

"How are you going to make me call out your name, Raphael?" Katherine's husky voice asked. "Donatello?" Katherine's other hand suddenly caressed Donatello's face. She leaned over and kissed him hungrily, her hand trailing down his plastron Donatello moaned and closed his eyes. He felt his jeans being unbuttoned his underwear being moved.

He moaned into her mouth.

She pulled away from his lips. "Do I like it hard and rough?" She inquired. "Or soft and slow?"

Donatello groaned again.

_This was a bad idea. _

The thought suddenly flew into his foggy mind. He knew this was a bad idea; whatever _this _was. He understood that he and Raphael had been trying to seduce Katherine; only Katherine seemed to have other plans.

Donatello shook his head, trying to pull himself away from his lust and think with this logical head; only his logical head was swimming in too much alcohol, which tended to make him completely lose whatever inhibitions he possessed.

He was going to lose the challenge, they both were. He knew he should say something, break away from Katherine and stop this from going any further than it already had, except... She dragged her fingernails across a most sensitive part. He threw back his head and moaned.

Donatello opened his eyes just a crack to see why Raphael had suddenly let out a choked groan that was mixed with a gasp of shock.

Katherine had by this time pulled his brother's sweats and underwear down.

Donatello blinked, momentarily surprised by his brother's size. Raphael had always teased him about being able to 'measured up', and Donatello could see why.

As mutant turtles they were larger than human males, and Donatello had wondered how Katherine was able to deal with his own rather impressive size. Now he knew.

Katherine turned her attention to Raphael. Donatello sat up as Raphael gasped in surprise and then groaned deeply. Donatello's eyes drifted across Katherine's back as he shifted slightly. She raised her ass up in the air, exposing her to his eyes -momentarily pausing in her ministrations to his brother- she gave him a smoldering look over her shoulder that was an invitation.

The overwhelming need to possess her filled him. He slid his pants off and positioned himself behind her. He now knew that he wasn't as big as Raphael, but it didn't mean that he wasn't just as good, if not a better lover than his brother. Determination to have Katherine scream out his name -rather that his brother's- filled him. He grabbed Katherine by her hips and claimed her. Katherine, who had turned her attentions back to Raphael, froze in her ministrations for a moment before giving a primal growl of some sort and doubling her efforts on Raphael.

"Kitten, what are you...? Oh God," Raphael croaked, arching slightly. Donatello couldn't see his brother but he knew exactly what Katherine had done. Donatello's grinned, he had taught Katherine a few tricks as well.

Donatello could feel his own pleasure building, the heat thrumming through him, bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

"Kitten, Kitten... Katherine, stop. Oh, God, please stop," his brother was writhing and whimpering beneath Katherine.

Raphael grabbed Katherine by the arms and pulled her forward and up his body devouring her lips in a hungry kiss. This action pulled Donatello free.

Donatello let out a groan of frustration, he had been so close, and Katherine may have been as well.

Raphael shifted Katherine slightly, his eyes opening to look at her. "You always liked it slow." Raphael stated, his voice becoming like a warm, rich, dark chocolate.

Katherine smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "Did I?" She questioned softly as Raphael positioned Katherine onto of him, groaning in pleasure and need as he claimed her body with his own.

Raphael's pace increased and became desperate. Donatello smiled. His brother was going to go before Katherine was even ready. Though in all fairness, his brother hadn't had sex in close to two years, and had been ill, so it wasn't too surprising that he was not going to be able to last.

Katherine must have realized this as well and moved herself from her current position.

"Katherine...!" Raphael panted desperately, clenching his teeth together in frustration, all thoughts of competition obviously abandoned for pleasure.

Donatello claimed her again, Raphael clutching her upper arms almost painfully.

"Please tell me you're close. Please, please say you are close." Raphael whispered desperately to Katherine, his voice shaking slightly in need.

"Telling you that would be cheating." Katherine purred archly, her voice hitching slightly as Donatello continued his ministrations.

Raphael growled low in his chest and pulled Katherine forward. Donatello slid free, Raphael taking up his spot. Donatello still had his hands on Katherine's hips and wondered if Raphael had completely forgotten about him.

If Raphael had, Katherine hadn't. Her hand reached out and grasped him. Donatello couldn't repress the groan that rolled from his throat as Katherine's torturous hand worked him to the point where one more stroke was going to send him toppling over the edge.

Donatello threw back his head and groaned Katherine's name at the same moment that Raphael shouted her name as well. Katherine's moan mixed with theirs, but if she called out a particular name Donatello did not notice, because the blood rushing through his ears drown out any other sounds.

Donatello slid from his position as he fell to the side, exhausted, spent, and too drunk to ward off the clawing black darkness that dragged him into sleep.

* * *

**Hope everyone enjoyed:) and hmm this could get awkward in the **

**thoughts and opinions are always welcome:D**


	12. Chapter 12

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for Beta reading this chapter for me and for taking he time out of her bust schedule to do this, you are awesome!**

**Also a big thank you to Kimmie98 and I love kitttens too for your wonderful reviews:)**

* * *

Chapter 12

**Donatello** groaned as he opened his eyes. At least he tried to, but they didn't seem to be obeying that particular command at the moment. It was possibly due to the fact that he felt like death. That was the only way he could describe the way he was feeling at the moment. His head pounded furiously, his stomach churned dangerously, his mouth was dry, and held an unpleasant after taste; like old metal that strayed across his tongue tormenting his taste buds and making the contents of his stomach all the more likely to rebel.

He managed to peel back his eyelids with extreme effort and looked up at the dim ceiling above. Groaning wretchedly he gathered up the sheer strength of will required to roll over. He did so and instantly regretted the action. His stomach rolled, black dots of pain danced before his eyes as he tried to pull himself up before he vomited where he lay.

A wastebasket was suddenly shoved beneath his beak as he wretched up the meager contents of his stomach. He grabbed hold of the basket like it was some sort of lifeline as his stomached rolled uncomfortably to the other side of his body, causing him to heave again.

"Geez, Donny. I thought you'd died." Raphael's voice growled angrily from over his shoulder, and slightly to the left.

His brother's voice sounded like all of the drums of hell were banging around in his head. "Raph," his voice rasped in agony, "Stop talking," he begged.

His brother however wasn't the merciful type. "What the HELL, Donny?!" Raphael practically roared, though it was tempered slightly with a venomous hiss.

Donatello winced and swallowed down the acidic bile that attempted to crawl up his throat. He finally managed to push away the waste basket and realized a few things. One: he was on the floor; Two: he was -as far as he could tell- completely naked; Three: he was having a hard time remembering how events One and Two had actually occured.

He sat up, clutching at the thin sheet that was draped lightly over top of him. This movement did him no favours and all he could be thankful for was the fact that the light was dim in the library. The only light that managed to permeate the room came from the skylights, and it looked as if the storm had not yet abated.

He glanced over at Raphael who stood scrambling around for his pants and underwear. Donatello lifted up the sheet and confirmed his suspicions that he was indeed not wearing any clothing either."Why are you naked? Why am I naked?" Donatello mumbled in growing horror, the words tumbling from his mouth before he had a chance to filter them.

Raphael's amber eyes almost glowed with repressed fury. He buttoned up his jeans and knelt down, his brothers beak almost touching his own. "You don't remember?" Raphael snarled, that is if the words that came from his mouth could even be considered speech.

That his brother was furious was obvious, Donatello just couldn't understand why. Donatello closed his eyes and tried to remember what had happened last night. He remembered he had been drinking wine by himself, stupidly trying to get himself drunk, and then Raphael had come in and...it started to get a little fuzzy. He clutched at his throbbing head. He opened his eyes and looked at Raphael.

"I can't remember what happened," he admitted as he shook his head, instantly regretting the action. "I was drinking, you came in..." His eyes roved over the sideboard and the two empty glasses. "You were drinking," he said as that little tidbit of memory popped into his mind. "Then..." he paused. Katherine had come into the room soaking wet and... "Oh my, God!" He gasped in horror as memory slammed back into him like a freight train. "No...no." He stated shaking his head in abject denial. "I ...we..." he stammered, unable to wrap his mind around what had happened last night. He could feel his cheeks becoming dark with embarrassment.

"We never speak of this, Donny, you got me? EVER! This NEVER happened." Raphael hissed as he stood up. "And put your damn clothes on!"

Donatello stared numbly at the sheet clutched between his shaking fingers. It was bad enough that he had engaged in a threesome with his brother last night, worse than this -and yes it could get worse- was the fact that he had decided to try and take Katherine back from his brother. He groaned, and this time this sound of distress had nothing to do with any of the physical agony he was suffering at the moment.

He had broken up with Katherine, thrown her back into the arms of his dying brother, who thankfully didn't die because of her; and then he had tried to seduce her back from Raphael's arms into his own.

What the hell was wrong with him?

Donatello did not normally curse, but in this instance he began calling himself some pretty choice words silently in his head. _Bastard, son of a bitch, two faced_ and _betrayer_, were a few that came to mind, and after that they devolved into words even Raphael would raise his eye ridges at.

How Raphael hadn't planted his fist in Donatello's face he wasn't quite sure, but he felt as if he deserved a thousand times more than _just_ a physical beating.

"Katherine." He managed to say out loud, all of the blood draining from his face. God, he had treated her like a...a...his mind couldn't even come up with the correct term. _Whore_ came to mind, but, that wasn't quite right; although perhaps _Property_ or _Prize_ would be a better term. He had acted like her feelings had nothing to do with his battle against his brother to 'win' her. He hung his head in shame, clutching it in both physical and mental agony.

"She ain't here." Raphael grimaced. "At least, she ain't in this room anymore. Wasn't here when I woke up. Thought you were dyin'; you were all pale, barely breathin' and covered in sweat." Raphael was talking now, almost rambling. "Then I remembered..." He cut himself off as he dragged a hand down his face. "Donny, what the Fuck happened last night?" he snarled.

Donatello's gaze left his brother's furious, worried eyes and looked at the empty wine bottles that were still strewn about the room. The wine rack was now empty, and the decanter that had been sitting on the sideboard was gone.

"This is your fault, Raph," he hissed back accusingly. "You made me kiss her," he growled. If his brother hadn't told him to kiss Katherine, none of this would have happened.

Raphael pulled his lips away from his mouth in a snarl mixed with a grimace. He opened and closed his mouth a few times obviously trying to think of something to say, but either unable to refute Donatello's accusation or unable to find the right words to express his anger.

"Don't you dare put this all back on me, Donny," Raphael finally bit out through clenched teeth, his hands balled into angry fists.

"I'm not, Raph," he said blowing out a hiss of air. "This is _our_ fault."

"Fuck," Raphael snarled.

Donatello didn't reply to his brother because what he would have said would not have been complimentary to either of them. He moved his arm, grabbing his pants and underwear, and pulling his clothes on as fast as he was able. He rolled over managing to scramble to his feet without falling over and without needing the waste basket again; which the way his stomach churned in his gut, was a huge accomplishment.

"She ain't never gonna forgive us, Donny. Not after last night," Raphael said dragging his hand across his eyes again.

Donatello gave no answer and no reassurances to his brother, because he absolutely agreed with him. If Katherine hadn't already ditched them both on the island and took a boat to the mainland, he would be very much surprised. Though he could still hear the storm that raged outside, so he seriously hoped that Katherine hadn't been angry enough to put herself in danger and risk being killed just to get away from them.

"We'd better go find her," Donatello grumbled glumly under his breath. He may as well have also added _Let's just get this over with_ as well, but it was already implied. Katherine -if she even talked to them- was going to tear a strip off each of them so wide, they would be lucky to get away with their shells intact. Not that they didn't deserve whatever form of punishment or justice that Katherine was about to mete out, but still, he was not looking forward to the encounter.

Losing Katherine to Raphael was painful enough, not having Katherine in his life at all was a devastating prospect he didn't think he could bear; and after studying Raphael's wretched face -pulled into lines of fear, worry and self hatred- his brother would not be able to bear it either; not a second time.

They made their way slowly and silently from the library, and with feet made of lead, went in search of Katherine. They headed straight for the kitchen, not even bothering to look over any other part of the house. Raphael went first and Donatello slammed into his brother's carapace when he suddenly stopped in the doorway.

Donatello protested his brother's sudden halt and pushed past him.

Katherine was sitting at the table in the kitchen. The lights were on so either the power had come back on, or the generator had finally kicked in sometime during the night… or this morning...

Katherine sat staring off into space; her hands clasped together on the table, a mug of hot chocolate by her hands. She looked as if she were thinking about something weighty, and Donatello felt himself swallow in nervous apprehension. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, because he had no idea what to say. How did he even begin to apologize for treating her like he had, like they had? He hadn't even had a chance to apologize to Raphael for trying to steal his girlfriend away from him. Donatello flinched at this thought and hung his head in shameful guilt.

Katherine finally decided to acknowledge their presence, Raphael remaining oddly silent. Donatello flicked a quick, worried glance towards his brother who looked pale, lost, and grim.

Donatello wondered bleakly if the same expression was mirrored on his own face. He turned his attention back to Katherine whose face was a blank mask. Her eye colour appeared to be normal, but her eyes were slightly in shadow, so it was hard to tell.

Katherine broke the silence first. "Donatello," Katherine looked towards him and Donatello forced himself to look at Katherine in the eyes. "Michelangelo thought that both you and Raphael were sharing me, didn't he?" She asked him bluntly.

Donatello was so shocked by the question that his mouth dropped open before he was able to snap it closed. Katherine took his shocked silence as confirmation of her observation.

"What?!" Raphael yelped in shocked protest, his head swivelling between Katherine and Donatello in disbelief.

"I was trying to understand all of Michelangelo's innuendoes when he left. He wasn't angry so he didn't believe that Raphael and I were having an affair." Katherine explained, shaking her head slightly before looking down at her hands, taking a deep breath and continuing. "I've taken all of the alcohol and moved it into the basement and locked the door. Apparently you two cannot handle your liquor." She told them, her voice had gotten lower, more strained. "At all," she finished her green eyes flashing dangerously.

"Kitten…" Raphael began, obviously trying to offer up some sort of explanation or apology, but one look from Katherine silenced him.

Donatello studied Katherine as if trying to understand where her mind was going.

"I'm sorry for last night," she apologized softly.

Donatello was able to keep his jaw in place but his eyes widened in shock. He shared a stunned look with Raphael as they listened to Katherine continue.

"I was angry that you both were acting like I was some sort of... possession. A possession that could be won." Her voice had gotten lower, her eyes shading slightly towards blue, which indicated that she was upset.

"Katherine…" Donatello began and he received the glare of death for his troubles. Donatello swallowed down his words, glanced at Raphael whose face seemed to have paled even further.

Katherine clasped her tightened hands more tightly together. "I am not a possession. I have my own feelings, thoughts and opinions," Katherine growled as Donatello flinched.

"Last night was a mistake," Katherine said earnestly, looking at both of them in the eyes. "I think we can all agree on that. Raphael, Donatello, I apologize for taking up the challenge that you levelled upon each other. I was hurt and angry, but I should not have seduced you both just to prove that I could. That was unfair to all of us," Katherine whispered sadly.

Donatello blinked a few times, his mind attempting to process what was being said and where her line of thought was leading to.. _Why was Katherine apologizing to them?_ He wondered in shock. They should be apologizing to her for playing with her heart, trying to seduce her, using her own body against her, and forcing her to choose between them.

Donatello opened his mouth and Katherine lifted up a hand, silencing him. Her other hand lay on the table top, clasped around something that he could not quite see.

"You both regret your actions, your words... everything that happened last night. I can tell this by your expressions, your postures, and your eyes. I could be angry, in reality I should be beyond furious, but I'm not. I understand what you both were thinking, and how your liquor addled minds came to the erroneous conclusion that I did not know my own heart." Katherine's eyes bored straight into Donatello's as if accusing him of something. "And so as far as I am concerned we are even."

"Even?" Raphael growled his face losing its lines of anxiety and deepening into a familiar anger. He took a step towards her, his hands clenching into fists. "You think that-" Raphael stopped suddenly, snapping his mouth shut. His brother was angry, but somehow managed to realize that Katherine wasn't furiously ripping a strip off of them; and so in a moment of amazing self control and supreme insight, decided to shut his beak for once before he said something he wouldn't be able to take back.

"Even isn't the right word. We are not even by any stretch of the imagination, but as I said before, last night was a mistake better left forgotten. I think we can all agree on that."

Raphael blinked in confusion, but slowly gave a nod of agreement.

Donatello gave a curt nod of agreement as well. He wanted so very much to forget most of what had happened the previous evening. And although there were still some blurry bits -which he was thankful for- he knew that Katherine was still owed an apology from both of them.

"Good," Katherine nodded at their agreement and sat back slightly as she looked at both Raphael and himself, her eyes still slightly on the blue side.

"Katherine," Donatello began. "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry for...for treating you like... like I did, like we did," he apologized softly.

"I know, Donatello," Katherine replied sincerely.

"Kitten." Raphael had by this time unclenched his fists and moved slightly towards her. "I am...God, I am sorry. Donny's right, this is all my fault. I don't know what came over me..." he trailed off miserably.

"Raphael, I already said I know exactly what was going on in your head. I understand. You think that I was forced into being with you. You don't doubt that I love you, but you doubt that I love you more than Donatello, so you decided to break up with me to allow me the opportunity to choose."

Raphael pursed his lips together. "I didn't... I didn't break up with you," he whispered, shifting his eyes away.

"Didn't you?" Katherine asked softly as she studied Raphael's averted face.

Raphael closed his eyes in pain. He had broken up with Katherine, in a way. He had told Donatello that he didn't care what Katherine had promised him on his death bed. It was then that Donatello realized that Katherine may have overheard that portion of their conversation, and knew that Raphael was essentially going to break up with her.

Raphael finally returned her gaze. "I-" he began.

Katherine interrupted. "I found this on the floor this morning," she said, opening her hand and sliding the small black velvet ring box forward. "I would like to know whose it is," she asked softly.

Donatello stared at the box in shock. He could feel that the heavy weight of the ring box was no longer in his pocket. He made no move to check because he could plainly see that it had somehow fallen out sometime during the night, and was now resting in all of its accusatory glory on the tabletop.

Donatello furiously thought of how to answer the question. The answer was complicated. Technically the ring was his, given to him by his dying brother to give to Katherine so that Donatello and her could be married and live happily ever after, or so the storybook goes.

However, his brother -thankfully- did not die, and Donatello broke up with Katherine; therefore in theory, he no longer needed the ring. The problem was that if Donatello claimed the ring was his, that was fine, it would have made sense for Donatello to have the ring. If Raphael claimed the ring was his, Katherine could misconstrue this information to mean that Raphael had intended to find some way to attempt to steal Katherine away from Donatello.

Donatello sighed. "The ring is Raph's," he informed her softly. "He's been carrying it around in his pocket for the last two years. He was going to propose to you when you got back from Egypt, but never got the chance because... He keeps it to remind himself of what he lost," Donatello finished quickly.

If Katherine was surprised she didn't let the emotion show on her face. Instead she looked down thoughtfully at the ring.

"Donny-" Raphael protested.

Donatello knew that Raphael was about to tell Katherine that he had given the ring to Donatello because he knew that Donatello wanted to marry Katherine, but Katherine began talking, interrupting Raphael's protest.

"Do you still want to marry me, Raphael?"she asked his brother softly.

Raphael seemed to freeze. Donatello couldn't even see his brother breathing anymore; and if he were honest, Donatello had o admit that he had stopped breathing as well as he waited for Raphael's answer. Raphael looked down and away, as if he were wrestling with something before finally giving a sight nod of his head. "Yeah, Kitten, I do." He replied gently, looking back at Katherine. " I always have. Probably from the first moment I opened my eyes and saw you staring down at me in concern, I knew I never wanted to leave your side."

"Okay." Katherine said pushing the ring towards Raphael.

"Okay?" Raphael asked in confusion.

"I accept." Katherine explained gently.

Raphael seemed to freeze again, as if he was unable to process Katherine's words.

Donatello however understood her words and felt his entire chest being crushed painfully in a vice. He couldn't breathe, his stomach rolling with nausea. His heart felt as if it had been cruelly ripped from his chest, and his soul brutally torn to bits.

"I'll marry you, Raphael." Katherine explained with a slight smile, as if realizing that Raphael was having a hard time understanding her words, or perhaps he had just been unable to believe them.

As soon as her words left her lips Raphael strode forward, pulling Katherine up and into a fierce embrace, lowering his head and kissing her passionately.

"I love you, Katherine." Raphael whispered huskily to her as he pulled back enough to search her eyes, brushing back a stray golden curl.

Katherine smiled up at Raphael, her eyes smiling but still tinged with blue. "I love you too, Raphael." She leaned in and kissed his brother again.

Donatello felt the invisible knife that was lodged in his heart twist sharply. Katherine had chosen Raphael. His mind went as numb as his body. He had to leave; get away from the kitchen and the sight of Katherine in Raphael's arms.

He turned to leave the room, looking back at Katherine over his shoulder before he left. Katherine was looking at him, her eyes nearly completely blue, the green swallowed up completely by sorrow. Whether this sorrow was because of losing Donatello or because of hurting him, he wasn't quite sure.

Donatello studied her a moment and then gave her a small nod of understanding as he read the message in those clear blue depths.

Katherine was placing herself firmly out of Donatello's reach, forever. She loved Raphael, and she loved Donatello, but Donatello had broken up with her and she had promised Raphael that if he survived, they would be together; and no matter what Raphael believed, nothing had changed. Or maybe everything had, he wasn't sure. All Donatello knew for sure, was that he would never know if she loved him more than Raphael; not ever, because she would never tell him.

Donatello closed his eyes in pain, turning his head back quickly and leaving the room, hoping that neither Katherine or Raphael had seen the broken-hearted tears that rolled down his icy cold cheeks.

* * *

**Leonardo** sat in Raphael's room, staring blankly at Raphael's spare sai that he held carefully in his hand. He still couldn't believe that Raphael was dead. One moment his passionate, difficult, hot-headed, brother was alive, the next, he was gone... forever. He hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye, or to even be there as Donatello cremated their brother's body, gathering up the ashes to return home to be buried beside their father.

Leonardo dashed away a few stray tears from his eyes. He had tried to keep himself strong for Michelangelo's sake, not allowing himself to cry in front of his baby brother; no matter how hard it was to blink back the tears that had trembled and threatened to fall from his eyes.

It had been five days since he and Michelangelo had listened to Donatello's heartbreaking message, and Leonardo still woke every morning, believing that Raphael was only on vacation and would be home at any moment. Then he would remember that Raphael would be coming home as ashes, placed in a small box. Painful grief would then bury itself deeply into his chest, and tear his bruised and battered heart to shreds.

Leonardo placed Raphael's sai gently down on his brother's desk, next to its mate, and pulled his phone from his jeans pocket. He stared at it blankly for a few minutes. He stood and walked over to his brother's unmade bed, sitting down on the edge before climbing under the covers, trying to find some sort of comfort from the sheets that still harboured his brother's earthy, musky scent.

He curled into a tight ball and stared at the front of his phone again. He had already told Casey and April that Raphael had passed away; both of them had been devastated and shocked to hear the horrific news. They had immediately come over and stayed from a few days. They had all shared memories and bitter complaints of the fickleness of fate, before finally leaving to go to Casey's farm to get things ready for Raphael's burial.

Pain lanced through his heart again at the thought of having to bury his younger brother. More wet, salty, bitter, tears rolled down his cheeks as he briefly buried his head in Raphael's pillow.

He shifted his face and opened his phone. His fingers paused over the buttons to call Karai, but instead he just closed the cover instead.

Even though he and Karai had broken up, he still felt that he should tell her of Raphael's death, and yet he was unable to, because he didn't want to share that pain with her. Of course this just illustrated why they had broken up in the first place.

Leonardo ran a hand across his face, brushing the damp away from his cold cheeks. He and Karai had always had a strange mutual interest and respect for one another. He had struggled with his feelings for their former enemy and finally given into the temptation to ask her out on a date. But their relationship had always been strained, as if they were unable to completely trust one another. Their relationship had moved slowly, but had been comfortable in its own way. It hadn't been filled with the type of deep passion that had been characteristic of Raphael and Katherine's relationship. Of course Leonardo had believed that this was because Raphael was loud, possessive, obsessive and overzealous by nature, whereas he wasn't.

Leonardo had been content with the respect and mutual interests that he and Karai had shared, the physical side of their relationship never really being explored, because Karai was herself not an overly affectionate person.

It wasn't until Donatello and Katherine had begun to date that Leonardo had questioned his relationship with Karai. Donatello was incredibly logical; never easily moved by emotions or feeling. And yet with Katherine, she had turned his younger, rational brother completely on his head. Their relationship was extremely passionate and fervent. Some of the looks they gave each other were enough to set fire to the room they were standing in.

It had taken a while for Leonardo to realize that perhaps there was something wrong with his relationship with Karai. He had decided to try moving his relationship with Karai to a more physical level, but Karai had not responded well to his advances; something he had been secretly grateful for. Having sex would have left them both open and vulnerable to each other, and for some reason, this was something that neither of them had been willing to pursue.

And although he had been upset, he knew he was not heartbroken when he and Karai had decided to end things.

Leonardo's eyes strayed to Raphael's sais again, lying forlornly on the desk.

Being open and vulnerable meant that you could get hurt. Perhaps he had chosen Karai because he knew that he would never have to suffer the heartbreak that Raphael had suffered after his relationship with Katherine had ended. He never wanted to feel that kind of pain, and yet here he was, lying in his dead brother's bed sobbing, because no matter how much you wished to protect your heart from loss, it would always find you.

He wondered how much Raphael had suffered in his final days; if he had been in pain or if he had just slipped quietly away in his sleep. He wondered how much Donatello and Katherine, had suffered watching Raphael slowly die right in front of them, and not being able to do anything to stop it. Leonardo had no doubt in his mind that Donatello -being the family's doctor- would have blamed himself bitterly for Raphael's death.

Leonardo sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He flipped open his phone and dialled Donatello's cell. He had been trying desperately to get a hold of his younger brother, and had failed to do so. He tried Katherine's phone as well on several occasions, but according to Holly, the storm front that was currently pounding the Caribbean was interfering with the cell towers and even the internet.

Leonardo didn't even bother holding the phone up to his ear, he didn't believe that he would get through. He heard the phone ringing, before going straight to voice mail. Leonardo closed his phone with a snap and put his head in his hands, trying to pull himself together.

According to Holly the plane would be picking Donatello and Katherine up tomorrow; weather permitting. Leonardo would be glad to get Donatello home, and hug him and tell him how sorry he was that he had to bear Raphael's death without the support of his family; alone but for Katherine, who must be heartbroken and devastated by Raphael's death as well.

Katherine was strong, perhaps the strongest woman he had ever met; and considering he knew Karai, this was saying something. But she still loved Raphael; that much had always been clear, and Leonardo knew that Raphael's death would be just as hard on her as it was on any of Raphael's siblings.

"LEO!" Michelangelo's panicked call tore through the lair. Leonardo jumped from the bed, dashing his tears away as he rushed to the living room where his baby brother's voice had emanated from.

Leonardo ran into the living room and looked at Michelangelo who was standing, the phone pressed to his ear, the remote in his hand as he stared at a program on the Television.

"Mikey?" Leonardo asked in concern.

Michelangelo turned a pale, tear streaked face towards him, his whole body shaking with fright.

"Mikey, what's wrong?" Leonardo asked worriedly, wondering if Holly -who had been very supportive of Michelangelo the last few days and who was on her way to New York at this very moment- had broken up with his baby brother for some reason.

Michelangelo seemed numb with shock, only pointing a shaking finger at the TV screen.

Leonardo turned his attention to the screen watching the sportscaster listing off games scores. Leonardo frowned knowing that Michelangelo never paid any attention to sports, that had been Raphael's interest.

Thought of his hot-headed brother brought a pang of renewed grief rushing through him. It was then that his attention was caught by the words running across the bottom of the screen.

He frowned, realizing that there had been an earthquake just off the coast of Barbados. It had been a big one hitting a 7.5 on the Richter scale. The damage from the earthquake was not as bad as it could have been, due to the fact that it had occurred in the ocean, but this meant that the surrounding islands were issuing tsunami warnings.

Leonardo snatched the control out of Michelangelo's shaking hands, a feeling of growing horror filling him as he rewound the news program and turned up the volume.

There on the screen was a satellite image of the area hit by the earthquake. He knew the news anchor was speaking, but Leonardo couldn't hear his words over the blood that rushed through his ears as he took in the scenes of destruction that were shown in short video clips and pictures.

The area where the earthquake had hit was painfully close to the tiny island that Katherine's uncle owned, and the tsunami that was fast approaching Barbados and St. Luca, had already swept over it.

Leonardo felt himself go numb. "Oh, God, Donny," he croaked out in numb horror before swallowing dryly. "Katherine," he croaked out shaking his head from side to side in disbelief.

"H-Holly... she's still too far away and the plane isn't ready yet." Michelangelo managed to stammer out anxiously.

"We need to get there, Mikey." Leonardo said steadily his entire body shaking with too many emotions to pick just one. He was numb, his mind trying to shut down, because the thought of losing another brother and Katherine -all within the same week- was something he couldn't even contemplate, because it would break him completely.

"Do you..." Michelangelo's voice broke away in a sob as he fell to his knees in renewed grief and terror.

Leonardo knelt down beside his baby brother. "I'm sure Donny's fine." Leonardo whispered soothingly. "He'll protect Katherine, They'll both be fine."

Michelangelo gave him a grim look that was filled with overflowing sorrow. It was obvious that Michelangelo did not believe his comforting words and assurances that sounded weak to his own ears.

"I can't bury two brothers and Kitten, Leo, I...I just can't." Michelangelo choked out, shaking his head frantically back and forth.

Leonardo pulled his baby brother in close, hugging him tightly and not even trying to stop the tears that rolled down his own cheeks.

"I know, Mikey." Leonardo whispered softly, rubbing his brother's t-shirt covered carapace.

"Leo, Kitten can't lose them both; and Donny, he can't lose her. I...I messed things up between them and...and... Leo what are we going to do?" His brother sobbed out wretchedly looking at him for an answer.

Leonardo squeezed his brother more tightly, not quite understanding his jumbled words, but knowing that he needed to do something, anything. He refused to lose any more family members.

Leonardo looked at the phone that was still clutched in his hands. He flipped open the phone and dialed a number he never thought to dial again. The phone rang a few times before being answered. "Karai, I need a plane."

* * *

**uh-oh that can't be good...**

**thoughts and opinions always welcome:)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter, and for her great ideas and suggestions! YOu are beyond awesome!**

**also a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, has enjoyed this story, and given me the encouragement to continue:D**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 13

**Donatello** blearily opened his eyes. He struggled to breathe, his lungs painfully protesting the movement of air entering and exiting his lungs. His breathing sounded raspy and strained, as if he was not able to drag in enough air. He closed his eyes and opened them again, his mind trying to rapidly process all of the information that his senses were gathering to understand his terrifying situation.

He could hear the slow trickle of water above his head, and he knew he was lying on the floor; his lower extremities submerged in icy water and crushed under the massive wooden bookcases that had fallen on top of him during the earthquake.

_He had been walking from the library when suddenly the whole mansion began to shake. Books had flown from book cases, furniture had toppled, priceless antiques had shattered and the roof had groaned ominously as huge palm trees smashed into the skylight above his head sending down a rain of sharp, broken shards of glass._

_Donatello had tried to dodge the falling glass -the earthquake only lasting mere moments- but was unable to dodge as a bookcase had tumbled over, crushing his legs and lower torso, and trapping him as another heavy, solid wood bookcase landed on top of the first one._

_He had managed to hold onto consciousness, calling out to his brother and Katherine, hoping that they had fared better than he had._

_Donatello wasn't sure how long he had waited there, straining to hear any movement in the wreckage of the mansion, finally breathing out a sigh of relief when he heard Raphael's panicked voice calling out his name and Katherine's._

_Donatello had yelled that he was pinned under at least two bookcases and unable to move. He told his brother that he was truthfully unsure of his injuries, but felt that at the very least, his left leg was broken, possibly a few ribs as well. Raphael's voice had gotten closer, and there was banging on the outside of the library's heavy mahogany doors. Raphael had then told him that part of the roof had collapsed leaving beams and other debris blocking the door to the library. _

_Donatello had shouted at his brother, asking him if Katherine was okay. His brother had hesitated before answering that Katherine was trapped in the basement. Raphael had been in the kitchen when the earthquake had struck and had been knocked unconscious by falling cabinetry. When he had regained consciousness he had found Katherine who was unhurt but trapped. Apparently she had been in the living room -an area that was already structurally unsound- when the floor had collapsed beneath her; the upper story of the mansion caving in, trapping her within the basement. Raphael had tried to get to her through the door that led to the basement, but the stairs had collapsed, and the stairwell completely blocked. Raphael had then gone in search of Donatello, hoping that he would help him get her out._

_Raphael had then asked him if he knew what had happened, and Donatello had informed him that there had obviously been an earthquake, a strong one, probably located somewhere in the Caribbean ocean. Donatello had then told his brother to be careful and to get Katherine out._

_Donatello had then struggled in vain to free himself from the two massive bookcases, but only managed to cause himself extreme pain. Two aftershocks had then rocked the mansion, causing dust, debris and more shattered glass to fall upon the bookcases that held him pinned to the floor._

_He had yelped in pain as his legs were crushed even more, momentarily falling into unconsciousness before regaining it, his heart clenching in horror at the sound of Raphael's raised voice, screaming out Katherine's name._

_Donatello finally heard more scrabbling and grunting outside the library doors as his brother desperately tried to get in to free him. _

_Donatello had yelled at Raphael asking him if Katherine was okay, and able to breathe a little easier upon hearing that Katherine was fine, but was now pinned under debris as well. Donatello had yelled at Raphael to get Katherine out and worry about him later, because even if he was freed, he wouldn't be able to help Raphael free Katherine anyway. _

_Raphael had reluctantly agreed, but told him that he would be back to get him freed after he rescued Katherine._

_Donatello didn't know how long he lay there trapped- he had long ago lost feeling in both of his legs, his lower body slowly growing numb- when a horrifying thought struck him._

_"Raph!" He had called out frantically, his heart beating painfully in his chest as an all consuming terror rose up to choke him. "RAPH!" He shouted again, desperately hoping his brother had at least managed to free Katherine. _

_"What?!" Raphael angrily shouted back._

_"Did you get Katherine out?" He asked praying that his brother had._

_"NO!" Came Raphael's frustrated reply._

_"Get her out, Raph, get her out NOW!" He had ordered, his voice shaking slightly in fear._

_"What the hell do you think I've been tryin' to do, Donny?!" Raphael barked angrily._

_"Raph, you don't understand! There was an earthquake in the OCEAN! There could be a tsunami coming our way."_

_There was dead silence before Raphael answered fearfully. "How do I know if one of those things is coming?"_

_"If you look outside, it will look like the ocean is rapidly retreating, or there will be a wall of water coming towards us." Donatello answered grimly._

_Donatello had waited, praying he was wrong or that the tsunami would pass them by. Raphael's sudden panicked shout instead confirmed his worst fears._

_"DONNY!" Raphael's panicked shout came from outside of the door. Raphael pounded on the door. There was scraping and the sound of splintering wood._

_"Raph, forget about me, get Katherine out of here!" Donatello had yelled, willing his brother to save the woman they both loved. If the tsunami hit, Katherine would drown, trapped as she was in the basement. "Get her out, and get to the highest ground you can find!" Donatello had shouted, his voice coming out strong and steady._

_"Donny, I can't get her out! You need to help me!" Raphael's voice now contained a hysterical edge to it. "I refuse to play some shitty game of Russian Roulette where one of you has to die. So I am getting you out, then you are going to help me get her out!" Raphael had snarled angrily as more scraping noises came from outside the door._

_Donatello had taken a deep breath trying to calm his frantically beating heart. He opened his eyes and tried to twist, turn, do anything to free himself from the bookcases, but to no avail. Donatello knew that Raphael was still weak from his illness, and would probably not even possess the strength needed to free Donatello anyway. _

_"Raphael, get her out, NOW! Because if you let her die because you tired to save me, I will NEVER forgive you!" Donatello screamed harshly at the top of his lungs._

_Donatello had heard a fluent string of curse words that would have made a sailor proud before his brother obviously moved away from the library door. Donatello knew he could accept his own death, but he couldn't accept Katherine's or Raphael's. _

_Several minutes passed before the mansion was suddenly rocked, hard. Donatello couldn't see anything but the closed library doors in front of him. He could hear his brother yelling, but then all he could hear was the ominous creaking of wood and the sound of rushing water, approaching ever closer._

_Beams snapped, and walls collapsed before he was suddenly submerged in icy, churning, debris filled water. Donatello struggled to pull his body free, the water lifting the bookcases enough that he was able to pull himself partially free._

_Encouraged Donatello had fought more desperately, knowing that if he didn't he was going to drown. But no matter how hard or how much he struggled -stubbornly ignoring the agonizing pain in his legs- he was unable to break loose completely. _

_His vision had begun to go black and he knew he was running out of time... and air. He gave one last desperate thrashing push, trying to dislodge the bookcase from his legs, but failed to move it._

_He couldn't hold his breath any longer. His lungs were screaming for air; air he would be unable to give them._

_He let out his pent up breath knowing that the next breath he took would be his last. He had closed his eyes tightly, praying that Raphael had managed to at least save Katherine's life. He thought of Katherine, thought of the many mistakes he had made regarding her, and hoped that Raphael and Katherine would be able to marry and live happily together, and not mourn his death too much._

_Donatello's world had then gone terrifyingly black_.

Donatello moved slowly, choking back a cry of pain as he wondered how he had possibly managed to survive. He lay there taking in one rasping breath after another as he looked at the library doors which were now open, one hanging drunkenly on its remaining hinge.

Donatello realized that the force of the incoming water must have pushed open the doors releasing the pooling water before he drown. He carefully lifted up his head, getting the distinct impression that most of the library had been washed away. He was able to confirm this impression by the brilliant sunlight that flooded the usually darkened library. He vaguely realized that the tropical storm that had been battering the island for the past few days must have finally abated.

"Raph!" Donatello called out weakly, his voice hoarse and shaky as if unused for a long period of time.

There was no answer. Donatello listened for any sounds, only the rolling of the surf hitting the beach, the cry of gulls and the soft creaking of wood against wood.

He gathered up a painful breath, still unable to get enough air into his lungs as he shouted Katherine's name. All he received for his efforts was silence only interrupted by a wet, hacking coughing fit that sounded as unhealthy as it was painful.

Donatello forced away the agony that blazed red hot across his chest and continued to call out to both Raphael and Katherine, but only silence greeted his calls which became weaker, and more filled with bitter desperation and grief as time passed.

Donatello called out until his voice grew so hoarse that he was unable to even let out a pained squeak. Donatello closed his eyes, tears flowing freely down his cheeks at the loss of his brother and his former lover.

His heart twisted painfully as he let out one heart wrenching, agonizing sob after another. He laid his head back down the remaining water resting just below his right eye. Donatello wondered how long it would take him to die, trapped as he was and unable to free himself, knowing that no help would arrive to pull him from the wreckage of the library.

He then wondered if he was going to die of his injuries, or if he would manage to stay alive long enough to die of starvation or dehydration, since the water he was currently lying in was undrinkable. He knew that three days would be all he would be able to last without fresh, clean, water in the tropical, heat drenched ruin of the mansion.

He lay there drifting in and out of sleep or unconsciousness, he wasn't quite sure, until his eyes snapped open at the sound of a huge crash of something hitting the water surrounding him. The sound of water rushing in made his eyes widen in horror as the water level around him began to rise again. Donatello pushed weakly at the heavy wood that pinned him to the ground, pain shredding and tearing at his body as he gave up his futile struggles.

Drowning quickly would be a preferable death than waiting to die of his injuries, dehydration or starvation; whichever killed him first.

He opened his eyes lifting his head up slightly. "Raph! Katherine!" He weakly shouted out one more time, hoping to hear a reply. However, nothing but silence greeted his desperate calls.

Donatello lay his cheek down, comforting himself in being able to see Raphael and Katherine on the other side soon. He watched the water rise up ever so slowly closer and closer to his nostrils.

"I love you, Raph. I love you Katherine, I'll see you both soon." Donatello whispered in a broken, wretched voice as he let out another grief-stricken sob, pain exploding through his chest as he broke into another couching fit, blood staining the water around his face red. He closed his eyes trying to remember all of the good times he had shared with his brothers, Katherine, and his friends.

"I'm sorry, Leo, I'm sorry, Mikey." He apologized to his brothers who he would never see again in this life. "I Love you guys." Donatello murmured wretchedly as he closed his eyes, waiting for the water to rise above his head.

He smiled bitterly to himself. He could almost believe he could hear Michelangelo and Leonardo calling out his name, even though he knew it was impossible for his brother's to be there.

* * *

**Leonardo** sat in the plane watching Michelangelo fidget. His brother shifted in his seat, nervously looked out the window, looked back at his phone, shuffled as much as he was able to and looked out the window again.

Usually Leonardo would be telling Michelangelo to stop fidgeting and to settle down, but his baby brother was not vibrating with repressed energy, rather he was shaking with fear.

Leonardo had long since stopped trying to say anything comforting to his brother, his words only seeming to agitate him even more; mostly because as much as Leonardo tried to keep a note of hope and comfort in his voice -even to his own ears- his assurances that Donatello and Katherine were safe felt thin and weak.

Leonardo tried not to glance at the screen that showed their flight plan and the number of minutes until they could land, but he glanced at it anyway because he was a masochist. All he was doing was watching each minute tick painfully by, the last few hours the most painfully slow of his entire life.

After he had seen the news he had called Karai, who was in China of all places. He had quickly explained his situation, leaving out Raphael's death, and begged her to lend them a plane.

Karai had readily agreed, giving instructions for her one of her private jets to be readied for them. He and Michelangelo had grabbed a few supplies, food, water, first aid kits and made their way to the airport where the plane was waiting for them as well as two paramedics who only nodded in professional acknowledgment as they boarded.

They learned that it would take four and a half hours to arrive. It was of course four and a half hours too long, but knew that it was the best they could do.

Leonardo knew that he and Michelangelo should sleep, try to get some rest before reaching the island, but neither one of them had and Leonardo hadn't even suggested it. He was too worried, his stomach clenched into large knots of dread and fear.

He tried to calm his heart, which was hammering painfully in his chest. The adrenalin was pumping through his veins, screaming at him to do anything but sit calmly in his padded leather seat, doing nothing but waiting.

"_We are beginning our decent_." The captain, said over the speaker system.

Leonardo blinked in shock, knowing that it hadn't even been four hours since they had left New York.

"_We are unable to land on the island. The runway has been washed out. We will be landing in Jamaica, a chopper will transport you to the island._" The pilot's voice informed them over the intercom.

Leonardo felt his heart sink even further and the knots in his stomach clench even tighter. He didn't like that there was a delay, but even worse than the delay, was knowing that at least some of the island was now underwater.

Leonardo forced himself to breathe deeply as the plane began its decent, finally landing. They quickly exited the plane and ran for the helicopter which was no doubt piloted by more of Karai's men. The pilot and co-pilot did not start at their appearance; no doubt being well paid for their silence.

Leonardo hoped that it would not take them long to reach the island. It was already after four in the afternoon, and in the Caribbean, the sun started to set just after six.

He and Michelangelo sat in silence as the helicopter lifted off and they began their flight across miles and miles of ocean towards a tiny island that looked like a washed out sandcastle on the beach, destroyed by a bully's foot in a fit of gleeful cruelty.

Leonardo could only be thankful that the mansion seemed to still be standing; however not much of it seemed to be left upright and intact.

They didn't wait for the helicopter to land, he gave orders for the paramedics to stay in the chopper and be ready to give medical attention and for the pilots to keep the chopper running and ready evacuate the area immediately. The humans nodded their agreements as Leonardo threw down a line and slid down the thick black cord to the heavily damaged area below. Michelangelo swiftly followed with a large first aid kit and landed on the sand beside him.

Leonardo looked up at the mansion and swallowed down the cry of disbelief and horror that tried to escape from between his tightly closed lips.

Leonardo couldn't speak, only motioning with his head to follow his lead. They both made their way grimly towards the groaning structure.

The mansion's entire upper floor was gone, collapsed in on the lower level, though some walls remained standing in places. They began climbing over debris and tried to get their bearings as to what part of the house they were now in.

"Donny!" Michelangelo shouted, raising his hands to his mouth to try to make his shout louder.

Leonardo blinked in shock at the sharp, echoing sound. The area was so quiet, so still, like the sorrowful feel of a cemetery during a funeral. It felt almost disrespectful to break the silence with anything other than reverent, hushed whispers.

Leonardo shook himself out of his bleak thoughts, and lent his voice to his brother's. "Katherine!" He called out hoping to hear an answering call, a movement, anything to indicate that they were not staring at a tomb rather than a broken building.

Leonardo searched desperately, beginning to overturn piles of rubble as best as he could, listening for any sounds other than the rushing sound of water.

Leonardo stumbled past the skeletal remains of the stairs that had once led to the upper floor. The railing was gone, the wooden steps sticking out from the wall like broken, tombstones.

He turned his head looking down at the stream of water that flowed over his feet. He lifted his gaze looking at the broken library doors that swung drunkenly on its hinges. He strode forward, the water just reaching mid-calf. He entered what was left of the library. Half of the roof was gone, the other half hanging precariously overhead. Two walls had been reduced to rubble, the late day sun streaming in. Water trickled in from a broken pipe, filling the room with water.

Leonardo caught a brief flash of purple out of the corner of his eye. He turned quickly, the twin tails of Donatello's mask floating on the surface of the water, his brother's head lying just beneath the surface.

"DONNY!" He shouted in horror as he rushed to Donatello's side. He tried to pull his brother's head above the water, but was unable to. He looked at the two bookcases that were crushing his brother's legs and lower torso.

"MIKEY!" Leonardo yelled as he tried to heave the bookcase from his younger brother's body.

Michelangelo splashed up next to him, lending his strength to moving the top bookcase, before being able to lift the second one up enough that Leonardo was able to pull Donatello's limp body from beneath the heavy wood.

Michelangelo let the bookcase drop and Leonardo laid Donatello down onto its flat surface. He didn't even glance at Michelangelo, unable to bear the look of frightened terror that he knew would be etched into his baby brother's face. Leonardo's shaking hands shook Donatello roughly, his fingers flying towards his brother's throat, searching for a pulse.

Amazingly Donatello had a faint pulse, but his chest did not rise and fall. Fear spiked through him as he tipped his brother's head back and opened his mouth, exposing bloody mucus that was blocking his brother's airway. He put his ear to his brother's mouth and heard no breath passing between his brother's lips. Leonardo stuck him fingers inside of his brother's mouth and scooped out the frothy, sticky blood that blocked his brother's air way as best as he could before he bent down and covered his brother's mouth with his own, blowing a puff of air into his lungs. "Come on, Donny." He whispered to his brother as tears silently crept down his numb cheeks. He repeated his actions twice more before Donatello suddenly let out a choked cough. Bloody water and mucus bubbled up from between his lips as Leonardo helped turn Donatello's head to the side, shifting him up slightly so he could cough out the remaining water and breathe easier.

Donatello let out a strangled cry of pain, as Leonardo froze, trying not to move his injured brother anymore.

"Donny?" Leonardo asked gently as his brother's eyes fluttered open slightly. His eyes were glassy and it was as if he was unable to focus. His breathing was strained and sounded like a gurgling wheeze. His brother let out a few more strangled coughs, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth as he finally seemed to be able to focus on Leonardo's face.

Leonardo felt tears well up in his eyes. He looked at Michelangelo who was looking at him with lost desperation swimming around in his tear filled eyes.

Leonardo swallowed down a lump of grief as he clutched his injured brother to his chest. He didn't know if Donatello was dying, but he strongly suspected that his brother was drowning in his own blood, possibly from a punctured artery.

"Hang on, Donny." He whispered miserably. "Don't you dare die on me, okay? Th -there are some paramedics and they can help you, so please, please just hang on. I-I can't lose another brother. I just can't." He choked out miserably, willing his brother to pull through and hoping he was wrong about the punctured artery.

Leonardo motioned for the first aid kit. He tore into the kit knowing his brother needed fluids and oxygen at the very least. "Mikey, oxygen." He ground out in a shaky voice as his trembling fingers managed to find a vein inserting the needle and beginning an IV drip while Michelangelo covered Donatello's mouth with an oxygen mask, turning on the small portable tank of oxygen.

"Ka...th." Another coughing fit wracked Donatello's body as tears of agony trickled down his cheeks, his breathing sounding even more strained and liquid filled.

"I-it's okay, Donny, we'll find her." He promised as he took hold of Donatello's cold hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Donatello's eyes became glassy and less focused. Leonardo clutched at his brother's hand more tightly as Donatello's eyes shifted from his own to somewhere over his shoulder. Leonardo quickly looked over his shoulder and didn't see anyone or hear anything but Michelangelo's soft sobbing as their baby brother knelt, clutching Donatello's other hand in his own..

"R-Ra...ph." Donatello choked out miserably as a spike of icy fear shot down Leonardo's spine. He looked over his shoulder again and saw nothing. He wondered then if Donatello was seeing Raphael's spirit; possibly because Raphael was waiting for Donatello on the other side.

"NO! NO!" He yelled in panic as Donatello's eyes slid closed and he went limp. Leonardo felt his breath catch in his throat in terror as he shook his head back and forth in denial. His fingers flew to Donatello's throat and managed to find a steady, but weak pulse beneath his shaking fingertips.

He felt his shoulders slump with relief as he gave a slight smile to Michelangelo indicating that Donatello was still alive.

"We need to get Donny medical help, now. He might be drowning in his own blood, but I don't want to move him, so I'll stay with him while you go and get the paramedics.

Michelangelo knelt down, beside Donatello, his fingers checking Donatello's pulse. "I'll stay here with Donny, you go find Kitten." Michelangelo said quietly.

Leonardo felt his mouth fall open. "Mikey-" He began, understanding Michelangelo's need to find Katherine as well, but Donatello could be dying and every second that they wasted, the possibility of Donatello dying increased.

"Besides the fact that Donny would never forgive us if we let Katherine die because we were too busy with him," Michelangelo interrupted. "Donny isn't bleeding out or internally. His pulse is steady. If he was bleeding internally his heartbeat would be faster, trying to pump the blood throughout his body, but unable to because he was losing somewhere."

Leonardo stared at Michelangelo in shock.

"Hey, just because I don't understand half of what Donny says most of the time, doesn't mean some of it doesn't sink in. And I watch a lot of medical dramas, you pick up a few things here and there." Michelangelo said with a slight shrug. "Go find Katherine." He insisted seriously.

Leonardo nodded, knowing that Michelangelo was right, at least the part about Donatello never forgiving them if they hadn't done everything in their power to find Katherine. He wasn't quite comfortable with Michelangelo's amateur medical diagnosis, but the more time he wasted fighting with him, the worse the chances for both Donatello and Katherine became.

Leonardo stood, making his way over the debris and out of the library. "Katherine!" He shouted as his eyes searched the ruined mansion, panic beginning to fill him. "KATHERINE!" He roared hoping to hear some sort of response and feeling his heart clench in terror when he heard nothing.

He stumbled through what was left of the kitchen, and found no sign of her. He left the kitchen and made his way to the living room. Leonardo surveyed the damage and prayed that Katherine had not been caught up in the destruction that had ravaged this part of the house.

The outer wall had collapsed and the roof had caved in leaving the floor littered with thick beams, drywall and wood framing. It appeared as if some of the debris had been washed away slightly, exposing a gaping hole in the floor, which was filled to the floorboards with water. A few beams and other debris were sticking out from the dark water's surface.

Leonardo took a step towards the hole and felt the floor sink slightly beneath his foot. He looked down and realized that the floor had become soft, the water weakening the structural integrity of the wood.

He backed away slightly and called Katherine's name again. Hearing nothing he moved away from the living room, knowing there was still more of the house left to be searched.

He went down another hallway and checked a few closets that had managed to survive the onslaught and found them to be empty. He came to the door which led to the basement; which he now knew to be filled completely with water. The door was broken and looked as if it had been kicked in, hanging drunkenly off of one of its hinges, only darkness visible beyond the partially closed door.

Leonardo reached out a hand towards the door as the possibility that Katherine had been killed and her body washed away filtered through his mind. He tried to push away the thought and hold back the grief that threatened to overwhelm him at the thought of Katherine being dead. Even if Donatello managed to survive his injuries, Leonardo wasn't sure if Donatello would be able to survive the news of Katherine's death.

Leonardo threw the door open and looked down the darkened stairwell. Wooden boards from the stairs bobbed on the surface of the water. Leonardo felt his heart seize in grief, all thoughts of Katherine wiped from his mind as he saw Raphael's body suspended in the water by debris and a broken piece of the stairway that had floated to the surface pinning his arm.

Leonardo felt fresh tears stream down his cheeks as his mind tried to understand how Raphael's body had come to be floating in the stairwell, since he was supposed to have been cremated.

Leonardo fell to his knees as he realized that Donatello had been unable to burn Raphael's body, and for some reason had placed it in the basement to keep it cool and preserved; possibly for transportation home. It was possible that Donatello had wanted them to be able to see and touch Raphael one more time before they buried him or cremated him. It was either that or the tropical storm that had been ravaging the island had prevented their brother's cremation.

Leonardo gave a choked sob of grief as he reached out and grabbed the edge of the wooden stairway, pulling it towards him. He leaned forward, wrenching his brother's arm from between two pieces of debris.

More tears blurred his vision as he looked over Raphael's body. His hotheaded brother was pale, his face streaked with blood, deep bruising covering his face and arms which were thinner than he remembered them being, the disease having ravaged his body before he had died.

Although Raphael lay unmoving, it almost looked as if his brother were only sleeping and would wake at any moment to snarl at him and tell him to quit fussing, and that he was fine. But this would never happen, because his brother had died weeks ago, and Leonardo had not even been there to comfort him in his final moments.

Leonardo hauled Raphael's cool body from the raft and gathered him up in his arms, hugging him tightly.

"I'm sorry, Raph. I am so sorry I wasn't here for you." He sobbed out as he held his brother close, not knowing if holding his brother's body in his arms one more time was more or less painful than never seeing him again.

Leonardo dashed the tears from his eyes as he stood up on shaky legs, scooping his brother's lifeless and much lighter body up in his arms. It was obvious to him that Raphael had suffered in his final days, his body wasting away until the Yellow Fever finally ended his agonizingly slow and painful death.

This thought nearly brought him to his knees again, but he struggled on, taking Raphael to the library; which was closer to where the helicopter would be waiting for them. He would make one more quick sweep of the mansion, before giving the order to leave, with or without Katherine.

He entered the library and Michelangelo looked up. His baby brother's face paled to a sickly grey-green at the sight of him carrying Raphael's body. Donatello moved slightly and moaned as Leonardo laid Raphael's body next to him. Michelangelo let out a sob of grief as Donatello opened his eyes. His vision seemed more focused that it had been before, but still filled with pain and slight confusion as he looked at Leonardo's grief-stricken face, his eyes shifting to Raphael's body.

"Raph." Donatello managed to choke out as he shook his head from side to side in wretched misery. Donatello shifted, reaching out and pulling Raphael's body up and into his arms.

Donatello hugged Raphael's body close and Leonardo felt his throat tighten with emotion. Donatello placed a hand on Raphael's cheek, the movement causing pain to rip across Donatello's features. Donatello slumped back, closing his eyes as he let out another cry filled with pain, and despair.

Raphael twitched and Leonardo jumped slightly. Leonardo reached out a shaky hand towards Raphael. Raphael's head suddenly lolled to the side and Leonardo pulled his hand back as Raphael's amber, pain filled eyes opened a crack.

Leonardo swallowed down his momentary horror before relief flooded through him. He remembered then that Donatello told them that Raphael wouldn't survive the night, but now it was obvious he had. And corpses didn't bleed and Raphael was bleeding from various wounds and lacerations, the most disturbing being the gash across his temple.

He reached out and placed a shaking finger on Raphael's pulse point in his neck and found a strong beat beneath his fingertips.

Leonardo felt warm tears course down his cheeks in relief. He gathered up Raphael from where he lay partially in Donatello's arms.

Donatello's eyes slowly opened as Leonardo clutched Raphael close, revelling in the knowledge that his hot-headed brother was alive, injured but alive.

"You're going to be okay, Raph." He assured in a shaking voice as he looked to Michelangelo whose face was full of shocked relief tinged with worry.

"We're going to get you and Donny some help." He soothed as Raphael's eyes blinked in comprehension.

Raphael's gaze widened slightly and shifted from Leonardo to Donatello, palpable misery and despair lit Raphael's eyes as his face crumpled in grief.

"I tried, Donny." Raphael choked out. "I...I tried, but I...I c-couldn't... I couldn't get her out." Raphael broke down, curling slightly into a ball of misery as silent tears rolled down his pale cheeks.

Leonardo's gaze shot to Donatello who closed his eyes, tears coursing down his cheeks as he rolled slightly to his side, a terrible wheezing, gurgling cough wracking his body, more blood trickling from between his pale lips as he let out a keening wail of grief.

* * *

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for her wonderful suggestions and her mad beta-reading skills! Thank you so much!**

**Also a big thank you to Kimmie98, Flamedragon242 and I love kittens too for your reviews and encouragement!**

**I hope everyone enjoys:D**

* * *

Chapter 14

**Leonardo** felt his heart constrict painfully in his chest. The momentary relief he had felt at finding out that Raphael was still alive, suddenly turned to ashes at the sight of Raphael and Donatello's grief-stricken faces.

Leonardo shook his head, trying to re-order his thoughts as Michelangelo soothed Donatello whose bloody, bone wracking coughs were making Leonardo more and more concerned for his genius brother's life.

Raphael winced in pain as he moved away from Leonardo's grip. Michelangelo shifted so that he was able to bury his face into Raphael's neck, his arms encircling Raphael's cold body; almost as if he too needed to touch Raphael, just to make sure he was really alive.

Michelangelo pulled away and placed his hand on Donatello's carapace, rubbing soft circles of comfort and reassurance as Donatello weakly lay on the ground, eyes squeezed tightly closed against the pain, wheezing and gasping for breath after recovering from his coughing fit.

Raphael struggled towards Donatello. He cried out in pain and looked as if he was about to lose consciousness before shaking his head back and forth. He grabbed Donatello's hand in his own and looked at Donatello with tears still streaming down his cheeks.

"Don't you dare die on me, Donny. Kitten, Kitten begged me to save you, and I...I couldn't save her, so I'm savin' you." Raphael managed to choke out wretchedly. He reached out a shaking hand and touched Donatello's cheek. "I'm sorry, Donny. I am so, so sorry." Raphael whimpered.

Leonardo placed a comforting hand on Raphael's carapace. "She could still be alive..." His voice trailed off at the angry, devastated look that crossed Raphael's face.

Raphael pushed Leonardo's hand away and managed to struggle to his feet as Leonardo followed, trying to help Raphael stand. Raphael pushed him away and nearly fell, the fresh blood that stained his brother's face standing out starkly against his pale cheeks. Raphael dashed the tears from his eyes and glared at Leonardo with unrivalled, grief stricken fury. "You weren't here, Leo." Raphael snarled as pain rode across his face as he clutched at his shoulder. "You weren't here, listening to her as she told me to try to save Donny. She was pinned beneath a beam in the basement and couldn't get out. I told her I wasn't leavin' her, and that Donny had told me to get her out, so I was, but... I didn't. I failed her and cause I failed, she paid the price!" Raphael bit out angrily as he dashed more tears from his eyes. "I was in the stairwell tryin' to dig through all of the crap that blocked it, when all of a sudden all of this water just crashed in over my head. I heard her screamin' and then I got bashed around down and then I woke up. That basement is full of water, Leo." Raphael snarled his voice breaking slightly as he took a shaking breath. "How the _hell_ could she have survived that?" Raphael's voice broke.

Leonardo hung his head in sorrow. He looked over at Donatello, who was too pale, his cheeks hollow, dark rings of misery smudged underneath his eyes. Michelangelo held Donatello close as their genius brother buried his face in Michelangelo's neck.

Leonardo swallowed roughly. "We...we need to go. You and Donny both need medical attention. There are paramedics waiting-"

Raphael quickly rounded on Leonardo grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him up and towards his furious brother's face.

Leonardo's eyes widened in shock, his brother's amber eyes swimming with unpalatable anguish. "We ain't leavin' her, Leo." Raphael hissed.

Leonardo opened his mouth to protest as Raphael closed his eyes, slumping forward. Leonardo managed to catch his brother before he fell. He shot a worried look at Donatello and Michelangelo.

"Raph-" Leonardo began.

"I could be dying Leo, and I wouldn't give a _shit _because I ain't going ANYWHERE without her, understand?" Raphael growled as he yanked himself away from Leonardo's hold, nearly falling in the process. Pain blossomed across his face as he sucked in a sharp breath of agony. "Take Donny to the paramedics, but leave me the hell alone!" Raphael ground out as he clutched at his chest and arm.

"Raph, we thought you were dead!" Leonardo bit out in frustration. "And then I find out that you are miraculously alive and words can't even begin to express how relieved and happy I am right now." Leonardo's voice gentled slightly. "I know I can't even begin to understand what you and Donny are going through right now, but I loved Kitten too and so did Mikey. But you and Donny are both in a bad way, and I am not going to let either of you die because you want to-"

"I'll get her, Raph." Michelangelo interrupted in a strained whisper.

Michelangelo wiped the tears from his cheeks, his expression sombre but determined. He said something quietly to Donatello before pulling away from their brother's slumped figure, standing, and walking over to Raphael, placing his hand on Raphael's shoulder. "Okay? I'll get her." Michelangelo promised as he gave Raphael's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Mikey-" Raphael began.

Leonardo himself was about to protest, but the look of misery on Raphael and Donatello's faces silenced him.

Michelangelo shook his head. "Just help Leo get Donny out of here, 'kay?" He said as he gave Raphael's shoulder one more squeeze and turned, heading back towards the living room.

Leonardo walked over and gently lifted Donatello up off the floor by slinging his brother's arm over his shoulders and carapace. Leonardo knew that Raphael could barely stand on his own two feet at the moment, let alone help to take Donatello to the helicopter; but Leonardo realized that if Raphael was forced to help, then both injured brothers could be helped by the paramedics.

Raphael winced as he took two steps over to Donatello. He lifted Donatello's other arm and placed it across his shoulders and carapace as well.

Raphael was overly pale and seemed to be shaking slightly, but struggled forward.

Leonardo studied both of his brothers and knew that neither one of them were okay; possibly never would be again. Both Raphael and Donatello remained eerily silent. Raphael was using his anger to push back the grief and pain he was feeling. The anger flowed around him like a dense, thick cloud of hatred. Leonardo frowned knowing that Raphael's hatred was not directed at anyone, but rather, Raphael hated himself for failing Katherine and Donatello. However, Leonardo knew that his hot-headed brother could only stay angry for so long before the anguish of Katherine's death consumed him from the inside out.

As for Donatello, he looked numb, as if he couldn't quite understand what had happened; couldn't accept it, and had just shut down. His body was still functioning as best as it could at the moment, but his mind, his mind was far, far away.

Leonardo looked down at his feet in misery. He could feel that his own cheeks were wet with salty tears that had run down his face unnoticed. His heart hurt; as if it were breaking with too much sorrow and anguish. He had always felt a certain amount of affection for Katherine. He liked her, had always been attracted to her in a certain way, but he couldn't even begin to imagine how much his brothers were suffering at this moment. Though he supposed he did in a way. If it was anything compared to the loss he had felt when he had believed Raphael was dead, he knew that at least he had a small inkling of the kind of deep, devastating grief his brothers were going through; especially Donatello.

Leonardo looked up and realized that Raphael had followed Michelangelo instead of going to the helicopter.

"Raph-" Leonardo hissed in surprised anger, trying to turn both Donatello and Raphael towards the helicopter and found that he was unable to. Both of his brothers seemed determined to watch Michelangelo.

Leonardo watched as Michelangelo made his way over to the edge of the broken floorboards. He looked into the deep, dark murky depths and glanced back over at Raphael and Donatello.

Michelangelo discarded his shoes, pulled off his shirt and stripped down to his boxer-briefs. Michelangelo knelt down and then slid into the water. His brother took a deep breath and then sunk below the gently rippling surface.

Leonardo felt his shoulders slump in defeat as he and Raphael lowered Donatello to the ground, kneeling down at Donatello's side. Raphael straightened, his hand again clutching at his left shoulder in pain as he stumbled over to the edge of the water filled hole that Michelangelo had disappeared into.

Leonardo could see the water that had been pouring out from the library slowly seeping into the living room area. He could see Raphael's feet sinking slightly as the saturated floorboards bent under his weight. Leonardo was going to tell his brother to be careful, but held his tongue, knowing that Raphael would only snap at him.

Leonardo turned his attention instead to Donatello and began rubbing his brother's shoulders and carapace in both comfort and for warmth. His brother's body was beginning to shake badly, blood still seeping from between his lips, eyes staring vacantly into space. Leonardo wasn't sure but believed it was possible that Donatello was beginning to slip into shock. Leonardo glanced back at the hole and then back to Donatello again. They needed to go. Donatello needed medical treatment, now, and besides, Donatello didn't need to witness Michelangelo dragging Katherine's cold, lifeless body up from the depths of her watery grave. Leonardo went to lift Donatello up to take him to the helicopter.

"Come on, Donny, we need to get you warm and checked out." Leonardo coaxed gently trying to lift his brother up from the floor, but his brother refused to move. He shook his head slightly and remained eerily silent.

"Donny, you don't need to see this. Mikey and Raph will bring her, don't worry." He promised as he tried to pull his brother up from the floor again. But Donatello wasn't helping him, making Donatello 180 lbs of dead weight.

Leonardo grimaced and settled back down on the floor with a despondent sigh of defeat. He watched the still surface of the water with a growing sense of gloomy dread.

He didn't want to watch.

He could admit to himself that watching Michelangelo pull Katherine's corpse out of the dark watery depths was not something that he actually wanted to witness. He wanted to remember Katherine as she had been, a beautiful, vibrant woman who was full of life and love; who had cared deeply for their family, so much so that she _was_ family.

Leonardo closed his eyes, no longer able to watch. He brushed more tears away from his cheeks and forced himself to look back at the gaping hole anyway.

Leonardo waited a few more moments, letting out a puff of air he hadn't realized that he had been holding. He frowned and slowly stood, his heart beginning to beat madly in his chest as adrenaline spiked through his body.

He listened more intently, a sound having caught his attention.

There was an ominous groan of straining wood and then a cacophonic shattering and splintering of timber as the floor gave way beneath a large pile of debris, which fell into the water logged basement.

Terror gripped his heart and soul. "Mikey!" He screamed in complete and utter horror.

"MIKEY!" Raphael yelled in panic.

* * *

**Donatello** blinked as Leonardo and Raphael's frightened calls finally seemed to break through the cold numbness that had enveloped his heart, body and soul.

The moment Raphael had looked at him in agonized misery and told him that he hadn't been able to get Katherine out of the basement before the tsunami had hit, Donatello's whole being had just shut down. Michelangelo had tried to comfort him as he buried his face in his baby brother's neck, but he knew that no amount of comfort would ever take away the pain of having his heart filled with unimaginable, debilitating, grief.

Leonardo had suggested they leave, but Raphael had yelled that they weren't leaving Katherine behind. Donatello could only be thankful at Raphael's shouted opposition to leaving Katherine trapped within her watery grave; because Donatello hadn't even been able to process anything beyond Katherine being dead.

This singular thought consumed his entire being. He was unable to believe it, studying the thought as if it were some sort of anomalous mistake.

Katherine could not be dead.

Katherine could not have pulled Raphael from the very brink of death just a few weeks ago, only to succumb to that singular, terrifying state herself; it was impossible.

Rationally he knew he was being completely irrational; that death could happen to anyone at any moment, but he just could not seem to accept this line of reasoning for Katherine. A small part of him somehow believed that if he accepted it, it would become true, so therefore if he refused to accept it, it was not true.

Michelangelo had whispered to Donatello. "I'm so, so sorry, Donny. For everything."

Michelangelo had then stood and offered to get Katherine. Donatello had been bodily dragged off the floor unable to even move his own legs. The pain that blazed across his chest with every painful, shallow breath and the agony of his broken leg had long since dimmed; overtaken by the blinding, searing grief that radiated out from the region where his heart had been located.

He was gently set down and he caught a glimpse of the destruction that had been caused by both the earthquake and the tsunami. The debris that had been pushed aside by the tsunami was an immense pile of beams, drywall, furniture, tile; anything that had been in the bedrooms and in the hallways of the upper levels.

Realizing that Katherine had been in the way of all of that falling debris was painful enough. Coming to the realization that Katherine falling through the floor had probably saved her life as the ceiling came crashing down around her hurt somehow worse. It had not saved her from death. This brief salvation had only delayed the inevitable.

Michelangelo slipped into the water and Donatello could only stare blankly at the softly rippling surface; his mind too horrified to see Katherine's body emerge, and yet at the same time, unable to look away.

Someone attempted to pull him up off the floor, but his body was too numb, his mind too horror-struck to understand the words that were being said to him.

The living room floor suddenly gave way, hurling Donatello back into reality with a jarring force that made him catch his breath and his heart to slam painfully against his ribcage. Adrenaline rushed through his numb body and heart, restoring every tiny, pinpoint ounce of physical and emotional pain with blinding clarity and force.

Absolute and utter horror shot his veins full of ice as he stared at the now gaping, debris filled hole in disbelief.

Leonardo and Raphael screamed their baby brother's name, desperately searching the surface for any sign of Michelangelo.

Finding none, Raphael moved to dive in. Leonardo quickly grabbed Raphael, pulling him back as they both fell to the ground in a heap; Leonardo shielding Raphael with his body as more of the upper floor gave way, plunging even more debris into the basement.

Donatello felt his lungs freeze in terror for a moment, the dust obstructing his view of his brothers. Leonardo slowly stood up, revealing Raphael. Small bits of rubble and drywall fell off of his carapace as he helped Raphael up from the floor. Seeing his two older brothers unhurt, Donatello's gaze flew to the hole where Michelangelo had vanished.

He didn't know how long Michelangelo had been under the water. As turtles, they could hold their breath much longer than a human, but even Michelangelo could drown if he was trapped or knocked unconscious by the debris that had just fallen beneath the water.

"Let go of me, Leo!" Raphael roared. "Mikey's down there 'cause of me!"

Donatello tried to struggle painfully to his feet just as Michelangelo suddenly floated to the surface face down, unmoving. Leonardo and Raphael reacted quickly reaching down and hauling their motionless brother up onto the floor.

Water streamed out from Michelangelo's mouth and nose, his eyes peacefully closed, head lolling limply to the side. Leonardo reacted quickly by pulling Michelangelo upright, head hanging forward, before hitting him hard on the back of the carapace, trying to dislodge any water that he may have inhaled.

Michelangelo suddenly let out a harsh, wet cough, water sputtering up from between his lips. He took in a few gasping breaths between hacking coughs as Leonardo continued to firmly hit his brother's carapace.

"Are you okay, Mikey?" Leonardo asked gently as Michelangelo coughed up more water but gave an affirmative answer before slumping to the floor in a heap.

Relief flooded through Donatello at the sight of his baby brother, slightly waterlogged, but obviously alive and well.

"K-Katherine." Michelangelo managed to gasp out between coughs.

"Mikey, you tried. If we had known how dangerous it was-" Leonardo was cut off by Michelangelo wildly shaking his head.

"S-she..." Michelangelo's voice trailed off and there was the sudden splash of a body hitting water as Raphael vanished beneath the darkened, shimmering surface.

"Raph!" Leonardo yelled as he stood, desperately searching the water for any signs of their hot-headed brother.

A few pensive moments later Raphael's head broke the surface. Taking in a lungful of air Raphael was pulled from the water by Leonardo. A flash of pink caught Donatello's eye, but his view was momentarily obstructed by Leonardo before his oldest brother moved out of the way exposing Katherine's pale, limp, body to his unwilling sight.

Donatello felt all of the blood drain from his face as Raphael clutched Katherine's body tightly to his chest. Tears streamed down his brother's face as Raphael gave out a choked, keening wail of grief, falling to his knees in utter despair as he rocked her still body in his arms.

Bathed in sunlight, Katherine's face was unnaturally pale, her lips tinged the colour of blueberries. Donatello made to crawl to her side, falling over and reaching out a shaking hand in her direction. He closed his eyes in despair, his lungs burning as he took one shuddering breath after another and wishing that his heart would just stop beating in his chest because his heartbreak was just too much to bear.

"Donny!" Leonardo's frantic voice yelled as Donatello felt himself being rolled onto his carapace and pulled up slightly. The pain that shot through his body made him teeter on the brink of consciousness.

"I tried." Michelangelo choked out miserably, his voice coming from far away.

"Mikey, we've got to get Donny out of here! Raph, we've got to go!" Leonardo's voice yelled.

"I-I tried, Donny, I swear I tried." Michelangelo whimpered brokenly, ignoring Leonardo's frantic order.

"There was nothing you could have done, Mikey. We have her, let's go. Donny's breathing is getting worse-" Leonardo told their baby brother, his voice rising in panic.

"I could have swam faster." Michelangelo's voice was nearly hysterical.

Donatello closed his eyes more tightly trying to stop the flood of tears that flowed down his cheeks; knowing that there wasn't anything anyone could have done to save Katherine's life. Raphael had tried, but failed, and would now spend the rest of his life blaming himself for her death. Donatello knew this blame was illogical, because he knew that Raphael would have done everything -risked his life- to save Katherine. And yet there was a small, bitter, resentful part of him -the part of him that was jealous of his brother for the love that Katherine had for him- that blamed Raphael for her death.

He pushed away the dark, treacherous thoughts, because they were not what he really believed. He could blame no one but Fate, or whatever gods may be for her death, no one else.

"I shouldn't have gotten trapped beneath that dresser and then Katherine wouldn't have had to stop swimming to pull me out. She was right behind me, I was pulling her because she had suddenly gone limp, but I couldn't hold my breath any longer and everything went black..." Michelangelo sobbed out wretchedly.

Donatello's eyes snapped open in shock. He pushed Leonardo away as he forced himself to ignore the pain that was trying to drag him into unconsciousness as he rolled over, staring at Michelangelo's pale, pleading face that begged him for forgiveness as his baby brother's words sank in and registered in his mind.

He didn't understand how Katherine could have still been alive, but Michelangelo said she had been. She couldn't have been dead for more than a few minutes, five at most. At least, he hoped this was the case, which meant they still had a chance to save her.

His eyes shot to Katherine, still clutched against Raphael's chest, his face buried in her neck, whispering _'I'm sorry'_ over and over again, rocking slightly and too consumed by grief to have heard or understood Michelangelo's words.

"Raph," Donatello gasped, desperately to Raphael. "Check her vitals." His voice rasped out. He curled into a ball of agony as his fluid filled lungs protested his talking, sending him into another red hot, agonizing coughing fit.

Leonardo tried shifting him, but Donatello just shook his head, clutching at Leonardo's frantic hands as his coughing fit finally subsided.

Donatello watched as Raphael lifted his head up, blinking in shock and confusion. For once Raphael didn't question Donatello's orders, quickly checking her throat for a pulse.

Raphael' snarled something but Donatello couldn't understand the words, but the meaning was clear. Katherine did not have a heartbeat.

Donatello bit back a cry of pain. Agony shot up his leg and across his chest as Leonardo tried to move him.

"Take me...to...her." Donatello managed to gasp out as Leonardo looked as if he was going to protest before Donatello crushed Leonardo's hand in his own. "Please." His voice rasped out as Leonardo bit his lip in frustrated anger, but gave a reluctant nod of assent.

Raphael had laid Katherine flat on her back, looking at Donatello with something akin to manic hope.

Leonardo quickly helped settle him down at Katherine's side. He checked Katherine's vitals and found none. He shifted, ignoring the blazing pain that roared through his lungs as he took as deep a breath as he could handle, and tipping Katherine's head back, blew into her mouth.

Donatello pulled back as Raphael placed his hands on Katherine's chest and began a series of chest compressions. Donatello checked Katherine's vitals again and finding no movement beneath his fingertips, blew another puff of air into her mouth. This was all he could stand as he pulled back, a chest shattering cough ripping through his body and leaving him teetering on the edge of consciousness.

Raphael placed a hand on his shoulder as Leonardo pulled him away slightly.

"Careful... Raph," he managed to gasp out as Raphael gave Katherine another series of chest compressions, pausing to breathe a puff of air into her unresponsive lungs. Donatello could only hope that Raphael didn't break any of Katherine's ribs with the force of his compressions, but figured that broken ribs were the least of her worries at the moment.

Donatello struggled to take another breath as his coughing stopped. He reached out and took one of Katherine's cold limp hands in his own and stroked his thumb across her, damp skin.

"Katherine," he rasped out softly giving her hand a squeeze of encouragement.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Raphael roared, his voice containing an edge of frenzied desperation and determination. His voice softened to the barest of whispers. "You are not allowed to make me live and then expect me to go on without you!" Raphael whispered fiercely, breathing another puff of air into her motionless lungs and pumping her chest again.

Donatello clutched Katherine's hand more tightly in his own. "Breathe." Donatello begged, hoping that she would open her eyes and take a breath, but as the moments passed he realized that this possibility was getting slimmer and slimmer.

Raphael continued to breathe for her and pump her chest but she continued to lay motionless and heartbreakingly unresponsive.

Donatello hung his head in sorrow as he placed a shaking hand on Raphael's shoulder, signalling for him to stop.

Raphael's eyes flew to his in disbelief, as if even the thought of giving up was so foreign to him, that Raphael's mind couldn't comprehend the action.

"Donny!" Raphael snarled angrily. "I ain't stoppin'," he insisted. "Not 'till I get her back."

Donatello just closed his eyes and shook his head. His heart clenched in grief at the desperate, manic need that floated around in Raphael's amber eyes.

"She...she's gone, Raph." He whispered miserably, his voice barely audible. "Let her go."

"I let her go once, Donny.I ain't never doin' that again." Raphael whispered fiercely.

Donatello opened his eyes at Raphael's words. Raphael leaned down in close to Katherine's ear. "I failed you. I couldn't save you, but I am going to save you now. I refuse to give up. " Raphael's voice was barely a whisper and contained a frantic edge of desperation. "Please, Katherine, please, I can't live without you. " Raphael swallowed hard, and then continued his voice low and containing the hint of a threat. "You had better come back to me, because I swear to you if you don't , I will follow right behind you and find you." Raphael threatened shakily, his voice so low that Donatello had barely been able to catch his brother's words.

He felt his eyes widen at Raphael's deadly promise, but he was unable to do more than process this as Raphael puffed a breath of air into Katherine's lungs and pushed upon her chest once again.

Donatello's horrified gaze looked at Raphael's desperate, determined face and wondered if his brother's threat was serious. All thoughts however were suddenly wiped from his mind as Katherine's body twitched slightly and a stream of water was coughed up from her lungs. Raphael quickly pulled Katherine upright slamming his fist against her back as she coughed up more water. She dragged in several harsh, gasping breaths of air. Her eyes fluttered open and looked at Raphael.

"You're okay, Kitten, you're gonna be okay." Raphael soothed as he brushed his thumb across her pale cheek. He then leaned down and kissed her passionately. Katherine lifted up a weak hand and placed it on Raphael's cheek. Donatello heard a gasp come from over his shoulder, which he guessed had come from Leonardo, as Michelangelo had let out a quickly silenced squeak of shock. Donatello ignored them both, knowing that he would have to explain that Raphael and Katherine were together now, but later. Right now he was too relieved to care about much of anything. "And we're all okay." Raphael told her softly as he pulled away from their kiss smoothing her damp hair away from her forehead. "You scared us to death." He whispered. "Don't you ever do that again!" He said fiercely as he glanced at Donatello for a moment, his eyes filled with some indeterminable emotion. Raphael then glanced at Michelangelo with appreciative thanks.

Michelangelo gave a quick nod of understanding; his eyes filling with happy tears as he quickly dashed them away.

"I love you." Raphael whispered huskily, clutching her to him tightly before letting her go and placing her into Donatello's arms. Donatello blinked in shock as sharp pain exploded through his chest as he moved to clutch Katherine close. He ignored his pain even though black spots were beginning to dance before his eyes. Katherine was cold and shaking slightly, either from cold or shock. It was then that he realized that Katherine had been floating in cold water for hours and hypothermia was most likely setting in.

"She...needs medical...treatment. Possible hypothermia." He managed to grind out. Another wave of agony tore through his chest as another round of wracking coughs were ripped from his body.

Katherine was quickly moved and Donatello felt himself being pulled up from the ground. His vision was going black and he knew he was barely holding onto consciousness.

"We need to get all of you warm and out of here." Leonardo said gruffly. "Mikey, take Katherine, I'll help Donny. Raph, you need to take it easy." Leonardo ordered.

Raphael was suddenly at his side helping Leonardo walk him slowly from the wreckage of the mansion. Donatello looked back over his shoulder and marvelled at the fact that they had all managed to survive the devastating destruction caused by both the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

He knew he would have to ask Katherine how she had managed to survive being submerged within the water filled basement, but knew that the answer was not important right now; the only thing that mattered was that she had.

He was dragged out to an awaiting helicopter; two humans quickly bundling them into blankets and then into the helicopter. He was quickly laid flat upon the floor, his world blurring, the frantic words of the humans and his brothers nearly unperceivable to him as a mask was placed over his beak.

He knew there was something wrong with his lungs, but he didn't really care as he heard the frantic shout of the other paramedic.

"She's going into cardiac arrest!"

"Charging!"

The thump of Katherine's body hitting the floor of the helicopter as the charge of electricity shot through her, trying to restart her heart, was the last thing he heard as he fell into black oblivion.

* * *

***Gasp* cliffhanger! Yeah I'm evil I know;)**

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome:)**


	15. Chapter 15

**As always a giant thank you to Amonraphoenix for beta reading this chapter for me! Don't know what I would do without you;)**

**Also a big thank you to Flamedragon242, I love kittens too and Kinnie98 for your wonderful reviews!**

* * *

Chapter 15

**Leonardo** clutched at Donatello's limp hand as his younger brother lay on the bed comatose and hooked up to a ventilator; the machine forcing breath into his brother's abused lungs.

Donatello's injuries had been the most severe out of the three rescued from the island. One lung had been punctured while the other had severe pulmonary contusions; which roughly translated to a badly bruised lung. He had also suffered three broken ribs and a broken fibula in his right leg. He had also suffered and managed to recover from something called CRUSH syndrome without any complications, thanks to the timely rescue and administering of first aid. It was a close thing as Donatello could have lost both of his legs or even have died if they had waited any longer to get him the first aid he so desperately needed.

Donatello had been heavily sedated during the long flight home to prevent further injuries and then rushed into surgery at one of Karai's facilities when they had landed. Raphael had also been taken into the facility with a broken right collar bone as well as a broken right tibia in his arm and a severe concussion. The fact that Raphael had been able to lift Katherine and give her CPR with his injuries and considering how weak he still was because of his recent illness, was something of a minor miracle. It was most likely due to a rush of adrenalin that had soon wore off leaving Raphael in agonizing pain and panic as Katherine's heart had begun to fail once again.

Katherine had suffered from moderate hypothermia as well as heart arrhythmia and cardiac arrest during the helicopter and plane flights home. She was taken to Karai's facility where she was stabilized and then moved to Mount Sinai hospital in Manhattan, where her family was waiting anxiously for her and where she began to recover.

With an awkward expression of gratitude to Karai for all of her help, Donatello had been brought home to recover once he was stable and well enough to be moved.

Donatello had been placed in a medically induced coma for the past week and Leonardo was feeling ragged and worn out.

He knew Donatello would recover, but also knew that it would take time for his brother's body to heal completely.

Katherine too was still in the hospital. She had been treated for hypothermia and given medication to treat her heart arrhythmias which had finally dissipated with time, but she then suffered a setback, having contracted aspiration pneumonia -a complication from her inhaling the sea water into her lungs- which had lengthened her hospital stay.

Raphael had been on bed rest for a few days, grumbling the entire time and getting Michelangelo to tell him what was going on with Katherine, since Katherine had been taken to the hospital while his brothers had been taken to Karai's facility. They hadn't known Katherine's status until Holly had updated them with a phone call to Michelangelo informing them that Katherine would make a full recovery.

Leonardo had been able to talk with Raphael while his hot headed brother recovered. He hadn't thought to ever be able to talk with his younger brother again, and to do so was something he felt to be too precious for words. He was so incredibly relived and grateful that Raphael and everyone had survived their ordeals that words could not even begin to express these emotions, but he had tried.

Raphael had of course just growled and brushed his heartfelt words away, but Leonardo had briefly caught a ghost of a smile and a faint light of gratefulness in Raphael's eyes. Leonardo had also studiously avoided chastising Raphael for kissing Katherine, figuring that his brother had been caught up in the moment and had forgotten himself. As for Katherine kissing Raphael in return, she was most likely confused due to the hypothermia she had been suffering and her close call with death.

Thinking about Raphael and Katherine made him uncomfortable.

Katherine had been placed in a private room with security, which had limited the number of reporters, news crews and journalists that were granted access to take statements and chronicle her ordeal.

Holly was staying in New York with her aunt and uncle -Katherine's mother and stepfather- and both Michelangelo and Raphael had gone to the hospital to visit Katherine on several occasions.

Raphael and Michelangelo had begun visiting Katherine in the hospital. They had disguised their appearance by wearing motorcycle helmets into her room after her family had left for the day. Leonardo sensed that Raphael had wanted to go alone to visit Katherine, but as Raphael had a broken arm and collar bone, he couldn't drive.

Leonardo knew couldn't stop Raphael from visiting Katherine, and the fact that he was with Michelangelo and usually Holly made him feel a little better that Raphael and Katherine would not be alone together. But he had an uncomfortable feeling that Raphael was pushing the bounds of what was acceptable for the way he should be acting towards his ex-girlfriend. In fact, Leonardo didn't doubt that Raphael was taking full advantage of the fact that Donatello was lying in a medically induced coma to worm his way back into Katherine's heart, which was making him furious.

He hadn't been able to have a word with Raphael ever since he was allowed out of bed because Raphael seemed to be avoiding him like the plague; which only made him more suspicious of his brother's actions. Raphael was always at the hospital, in Donatello's room sitting beside him, or in his own room, the door locked and refusing entry to talk. Both April and Casey always seemed to be under foot as well, and Leonardo did not want to call Raphael out in front of their family and friends. And so he had no choice but to bite his tongue and hope Raphael was not attempting to take Katherine away from Donatello.

"Oh man, that was beyond priceless." Michelangelo's sudden laughter filled voice drifted through the hallway and to his ears.

Holly chuckled. "You can laugh at Raph all you want, the expression on your face wasn't any better." She teased. "In fact I would say the look of terror was rather priceless."

Leonardo heard a snort as Michelangelo walked into Donatello's room. Leonardo looked over his shoulder at his baby brother whose face suddenly became sombre. Holly followed close behind, her fingers entwined with his brother's.

Leonardo would almost have felt jealous of his baby brother's happiness if he weren't so delighted that Michelangelo seemed to have found someone who he loved, and who obviously loved him back.

"How's Donny?" Michelangelo asked seriously.

"Better." Leonardo acknowledged. "He should be off the ventilator tomorrow sometime. And he will wake up naturally since we have begun to wean him off of the induction drugs that have kept him in his coma."

Michelangelo nodded gravely and walked up beside Donatello's bed. "I'm just glad he's going to be okay." He said as he gently touched Donatello's forehead before pulling his hand away and looking at Leonardo in the eyes. "And the good news is that they think Kitten's going to get out of the hospital next week sometime. So hopefully when she gets out, Donny will be wide awake by then."

Leonardo nodded in agreement. "Donny's lungs will take another three to six weeks to heal, so by the time his lungs heal completely, he should be able to get his cast off his leg as well." Leonardo gave a brief glance towards Donatello before standing and stretching out his stiff, knotted muscles. "So Kitten's doing well?" He asked hoping to find out anything he could about how she was doing, and also how Raphael was acting while visiting her.

"Yeah. Well I mean...she's in a lot of pain right now." Michelangelo amended. "But she's getting better." Michelangelo added, a look of guilt filled sorrow lighting his features. Michelangelo blamed himself for Katherine's current state and had been adamant in visiting her as much as he could.

Leonardo nodded, relived to know that Katherine was steadily improving. "Where's Raph?" He asked when he did not see his hot-headed brother behind Holly and Michelangelo. The thought that Raphael had stayed behind to visit Katherine alone sent a spark of suspicious anger rolling through his gut.

"He's coming." Michelangelo said with a wide toothed grin. "We had a little bit of an...incident, at the hospital today."

"Incident?" Leonardo asked hollowly, his mind streaming too many horrific scenarios to choose only one.

"Yeah, Kitten's mom kinda...uh...saw us." Michelangelo answered with a slight embarrassed shrug.

"Kitten's mother...saw you?" He snapped incredulously, his chest contracting in horror. "Without your helmets on?"

"Yup." Michelangelo answered completely unconcerned. "Well, it had to happen sometime, right?" Michelangelo said pointedly. "Anyway, we were in visiting after Kitten's mom and step-dad had left and Kitten's mom forgot something, came into the room without knocking and well... hilarity ensued." Michelangelo chuckled at the memory. "Raph tried to put his helmet on but it was too late and even though I jammed my helmet back on, Raph fumbled his and yelped in pain when he tried to move his bad arm." Michelangelo said with a grin. "But Kitten's mom was pretty cool, she even remembered me from Comic-Con, though it took a bit to convince her that we weren't wearing rubber costumes."

"Why didn't you just let her think that you were wearing costumes?" Leonardo hissed in anger.

"Cause, Kitten's family had to find out about us eventually." Michelangelo answered with a shrug. "Kitten dated Raph for over a year and she's been dating Donny for almost that long, or at least..." Michelangelo's voice trailed off, becoming serious before he glanced at Leonardo and pasted a fake smile on his face before he continued. "Anyway, sooner or later her family was gonna find out about us, especially with me dating Holly. So better sooner than later, and like I said, Sheila was pretty cool. I mean, she didn't freak out and she was polite and stuff. Though I think she was tempted to hit Raph, for...you know..." Michelangelo glanced at Holly who looked confused, "Breaking her heart." Michelangelo quickly supplied to Holly who did not know about Raphael having accidently punched Katherine, and most likely, Katherine's mother did not know about this incident either. "But Kitten's mom saw that he was injured and knew he was the one who had saved Kitten's life. So she just glared at him a little before giving him a very awkward kind of hug." Michelangelo paused and grew somber again. "But... Kitten's mom wants her to go home."

Leonardo frowned but nodded, knowing that it was understandable that Katherine's mother would want her daughter home after such a traumatic event.

"Then her mom left and Raph asked her about what her mom was talking about, and Kitten said her mother had received a call from a University in Canada that wanted her to organize, and head up a new Egyptology program for them."

"It's her dream job." Holly breathed out in barely contained excitement. "Well, besides traipsing around the desert looking for mummies that is."

Leonardo looked at Donatello. "So what did Kitten tell her mother?" He asked softly, his heart breaking for Donatello if Katherine had decided to leave New York to take the position at the University.

Michelangelo exchanged a look with Holly before answering. "I don't know. We didn't really get a chance to talk to her much after her mom left because she started coughing and was in a lot of pain, so we just left her to rest."

Leonardo nodded again, but turned his attention to Michelangelo, who tended to be oddly observant and intuitive about certain things. "Do you think she will take the job?" He asked softly.

Michelangelo bit his bottom lip. "I didn't get the impression that she was...enthusiastic about the idea, but...I don't know for sure." Michelangelo answered slowly as he looked to Holly for confirmation of his observation.

Holly only shrugged. "I don't know either. Kit plays her cards close to her chest, especially when it comes to her mom. So...it could go either way. If Kit had acted excited, Auntie Sheila would have called the University and told them that Kit had accepted their offer. Then she would have packed up all of Kit's things and shipped her back to Canada as soon as possible. She really wants Kit home, especially after what happened."

Leonardo grimly reflected upon the fact that things could have gone very differently. If Raphael hadn't insisted on finding Katherine's body, she would have eventually drowned. The only reason that she had managed to survive at all was through some quick thinking on her part. They had learned that Katherine had been trapped beneath a beam, but once all of the water had flooded the basement, she had been able to wriggle free. Unfortunately she hadn't been able to find her way out after having been pushed back and blocked in by some of the debris that had fallen into the basement -debris that Michelangelo had managed to move when he had found her.

Finding herself trapped and without a way out she had found an empty wine bottle and breaking it, had used the neck of the bottle as a breathing tube. She had found a small crack in one of the floor boards and place the bottom of the wine bottle through to the surface and found air. But this meant that she had been swimming for hours. She wouldn't have survived much longer.

Thankfully Michelangelo had found her, but his baby brother had nearly died being caught beneath the newly fallen debris himself. Katherine had freed Michelangelo and it had nearly cost her life.

But Raphael had refused to give up; continuing with CPR after Donny had been unable to due to his own injuries. Leonardo knew that Katherine owed Raphael her life. He just hoped that Katherine didn't think that she owed anything else to Raphael; who was no doubt playing up his role in rescuing her.

As if summoned by merely thinking about him, Raphael appeared in the doorway looking angry, upset and uncomfortable. Leonardo would have almost smiled at the expression on his hot-headed brother's face, but instead he was too worried about the situation Michelangelo and Raphael had found themselves in to be amused.

Raphael looked at Leonardo, who was most likely wearing a disapproving look on his face judging by the scowl that suddenly formed on Raphael's own face.

"I ain't in the mood for a lecture, Leo. I messed up, I get that. Now just tell me how Donny's doing." Raphael said briskly as he made a slicing motion with his hand.

Leonardo bit back the angry, suspicious words that he was so tempted to say. Instead he informed Raphael that Donatello was doing well and would be removed from the ventilator tomorrow.

Raphael nodded and walked forward, past Leonardo, sitting in the chair he had vacated moments earlier. Raphael reached out and gently took Donatello's hand in his uninjured one.

"You guys mind?" Raphael rumbled over his shoulder.

Leonardo shared a worried look with Michelangelo who gave a confused shrug. Leonardo gave Donatello and Raphael one final glance look before walking from Donatello's room, closing the door quietly behind them.

Leonardo caught up with Michelangelo and Holly. He separated his brother from his girlfriend and led him away so he could have a private word.

"What's up, Leo? Why are you acting so fidgety?" Michelangelo asked him, a concerned frown forming on his face.

"How has Raph been acting around Kitten?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Michelangelo's frown deepened but he thought about the question carefully before answering. "He's been helpful, supportive, maybe a little touchy feely with her, but nothing I would worry about. She was in a pretty bad way, Leo, and pneumonia isn't pretty. She's in pain and exhausted from coughing so much. She can only talk for a short amount of time because speaking aggravates her condition. Why?"

"I was just wondering how much Raph is playing up his role in rescuing her." Leonardo told his baby brother seriously. "You know I love Raph, and that I know he is a big reason that Kitten's still with us, but I don't want her to be feeling like she owes Raph something."

Michelangelo returned Leonardo's serious look with one of his own. "She does owe Raph her life." Michelangelo stated bluntly. "Not that Raph is taking any credit for it. He says I was the one who saved her, because I found her. Even though it was Raph who insisted we get her. Then Raph told Kitten that Donny started CPR on her, which saved her. Even though it was Donny who made the call to stop trying and Raph ignored him and kept trying anyway. Which is why she is still alive, cause Raph was too stubborn to give up." Michelangelo's words were now low, angry and somewhat bitter. "I know that I nearly cost Kitten her life. She saved me, not the other way around. But Raph hasn't said or done anything to make her feel obligated to him in any way. In fact I told Kitten what really happened when Raph had left the room for a minute to get her some ice, not because I am trying to stir up trouble between her and Donny, but because she had the right to know. So if you are thinking that Raph has been taking advantage of Donny not being able to visit her, and trying to steal her heart away, just forget it, because that isn't what's happening." Michelangelo bit out angrily before he turned and walked away.

Leonardo felt shame bubble up within him for thinking badly about Raphael, and it was a relief to learn that his suspicions were groundless. But he knew his hot-headed brother, and knew how much he still loved Katherine.

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_**Donatello** drifted in and out of a hazy reality. His mind was too clouded to think or understand what was going on, and he was too tired to care. The world in which he inhabited was warm and soft, his limbs tingling slightly as voices drifted all around him. He wasn't sure how long he spent floating_ _within the confines of his fuzzy world, but eventually the haze was stripped away, exposing his senses to every painful ache with a blinding clarity that tore the faint breath from his damaged lungs._

Donatello blurrily opened his eyes, confusion and pain momentarily clouding his mind as he struggled to sit up. A strong, firm hand on his upper plastron prevented him from completing this action, gently pinning him to the bed.

Donatello looked up into Raphael's face. His older brother looked strained, tired and miserable. Dark circles were smudged beneath his eyes and Donatello felt his heart suddenly gripped by despair and anguish. The last thing he remembered before he had lost consciousness was the paramedics shouting that they were losing Katherine as she went into cardiac arrest.

He squeezed his eyes shut in grief as he realized that Katherine hadn't made it. They had tried to bring her back, and she had been brought back, but only briefly. Death's grip had been too firmly wrapped around Katherine's soul to let her go.

Donatello let out a choked sob, tears beginning to run down his cheeks in grief-stricken agony.

"Leo!" Raphael's panicked voice suddenly shouted. "Donny needs some more pain meds!" Raphael's hand was suddenly cupping his cheek while he whispered gently to him. "It's okay, Donny, Leo's coming and he's going to bring you something to help with the pain."

Donatello continued to keep his eyes tightly closed, knowing that no amount of pain medication would dull the anguish of his devastated heart. He dragged in a shaky breath, even though his lungs protested against this movement. He was able to gain a lungful of air, carefully releasing it before opening his eyes and confronting Raphael's gaze again.

Raphael's amber eyes were full of pain and worry. "I'm sorry, Raph." Donatello gasped out, not having any other words to convey his sorrowful, apologetic feelings of grief.

"Hey, Donny, don't talk. Leo'll be here in a second, you're gonna be fine." Raphael said clutching Donatello's hand firmly in his own.

Resentful bitterness welled up within him, drowning out his despair. He would live, but Katherine hadn't.

"And there ain't nothin' to be sorry for. I know you didn't purposefully get caught beneath those bookcases, and Kitten, she knows that too." Raphael told him softly.

"I should have tried harder." Donatello bit out painfully.

"Donny, you had a broken leg, and ribs, plus a punctured and bruised lung. You could have died!" Raphael insisted. "But you managed to hang on and you saved Kitten's life."

Donatello's eyes widened in confusion. "She's...Katherine is...?" His voice trailed off unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Wait, you thought...?" Raphael shook his head. "Donny, Kitten's fine. I mean, yeah there were a few complications, and a few close calls, but she's gonna be fine. In fact, she'll be out of the hospital in a few days."

Relief, warm and golden rushed through him as every muscle that had contracted in sorrow suddenly relaxed. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking another slow, painful breath before looking at Raphael and giving him a slight, relieved smile.

Leonardo rushed in at that moment, a needle clutched in his hand. Donatello shook his head lifting up his hand to stop his oldest brother from drowning his senses in pain medication again. "It's okay, Leo." He croaked, brushing the tears from his eyes.

"Are you sure, Donny?" Leonardo asked in concern as Raphael stepped out of the way, allowing Leonardo better access. Leonardo sat down in the chair beside his bed.

"Yeah." He affirmed with a slight nod of his head. He grew serious as he looked at Leonardo, his eyes shifting to Raphael before focusing on Leonardo again. "I thought...I didn't think Katherine had made it..." His voice trailed off as he took another shaky breath. "But she's alive." He whispered in something akin to wonder an awe. He closed his eyes. "She alive." He whispered again, this time more to himself than to anyone else.

"Yeah, Donny, she's alive and she's been wantin' to see you. She's been worried sick about you." Raphael told him solemnly.

Donatello studied Raphael's face, a frown forming between his brows as he took in the emotions that were rolling around in his older brother's eyes.

Raphael turned his head away so Donatello was unable to study him anymore.

"Raph, are you okay?" Donatello asked in a concerned voice.

Raphael cast a quick glance at Leonardo before looking back at Donatello attempting a shrug. Raphael winced in pain and ground his teeth together in irritation before answering gruffly, "Broken collar bone and arm. But in another two and a half weeks I can get the cast off. So yeah, I'm good." Raphael answered, though Donatello had the distinct feeling that Raphael was not telling him the entire truth.

However, some of the information that Raphael had told him had Donatello frowning in confusion. "What happened? How long have I been out of it?"

Leonardo opened his mouth to answer, but Donatello interrupted before he was able to speak. "What do you mean Katherine suffered complications?" He asked suddenly as his cotton ball filled brain managed to process this little bit of information that had been told to him a few moments ago.

Leonardo glanced at Raphael who answered that Katherine was recovering from aspiration pneumonia, but was otherwise fine. Leonardo then informed him that Donatello had been taken to Karai's facility where numerous doctors and nurses had looked after him. He had then been placed into a medically induced coma for his own safety. He was also informed of his numerous injuries which he took in stride, as he had expected as much, and Raphael had told him much the same thing a few moments before.

Raphael reached out and gave Donatello's hand a quick, encouraging squeeze. "You want me to take a message to Kitten for you?" Raphael asked. "She'll want to know that you're finally awake."

"You're going to visit her?" Donatello asked as he shifted to move, sliding his leg out of the bed. He let out a small grunt of pain, but ignored the agony that shot across his chest.

"Whoa, Donny." Leonardo stopped him by lifting up his hand. "I know you want to go see Kitten, but you can't. You're on bed rest for at least another couple weeks. You'll see her soon, and don't worry, Mikey will take Raph in." Leonardo said.

Donatello grimaced in pain as tiny razor blades tore across his chest reinforcing the fact that he had broken five ribs and that his lungs were still healing.

Donatello let out a slow breath of air and lay back, shifting his leg back onto the bed. "Tell her..." He stopped because he couldn't tell her what he wanted to tell her. He couldn't tell Raphael to tell Katherine that he loved her more than anything. And that when he had thought she was dead, his entire world had become nothing more than an endless black hole of despair from which he would never have recovered.

Raphael nodded. "Okay, Donny, I'll tell her." Raphael told him softly and Donatello felt his eyes widen in surprise as he looked at his older brother.

Leonardo looked back and forth between them, a frown puckering his brow in confusion.

"Thank you." Donatello told Raphael, because he couldn't even imagine how hard all of this would have been for his older brother. To have almost lost Katherine after just getting her back, and then to have Donatello turn around and practically beg Raphael with his eyes to tell Katherine -his brother's fiancé- that he still loved her. It was a new low, even for him.

His line of thought stopped there as he studied Raphael's face, wondering if Katherine had said something that had caused Raphael some sort of pain.

"Kitten said for me to tell you when you woke up that she's glad you're okay, and that she's looking forward to seeing you." Raphael said as he gave Donatello's hand one more quick squeeze before straightening and turning to walk from the room.

Donatello watched Raphael leave a feeling of worry filling him. "Is Raph okay?" He asked Leonardo who still had a frown on his face.

Leonardo turned his attention back to Donatello. HIs brother paused as if he was trying to make a decision before finally blowing out a quick breath. "I didn't want to worry you, but..." Leonardo paused looking uncomfortable. "Katherine's been offered a position at a University in Canada to head up a new Egyptology program."

Donatello's mind spun as he looked at Leonardo in surprise. He had not been expecting this news from his brother. He let the words sink in and he felt himself nodding. Being offered such a position and opportunity was something Katherine had only been able to dream about. "That's...wow." He said both proud and genuinely happy for Katherine. It was then that the ramifications of the offer hit him. Katherine would be leaving New York, most likely for good. This thought sent a hot, sticky wave of gloom and despair rolling over him. His thoughts then shot to Raphael.

_Would Katherine leave his brother? Is that why Raphael had looked so upset, because Katherine had accepted the position and had broke off their engagement?_ He wondered.

Raphael and Katherine had done the long distance thing before, and it had been hard, putting unwanted and unneeded strain upon their relationship.

"But I don't know if she's going to take it." Leonardo quickly interjected. "Raph hasn't said if she's made a decision yet."

"How is Raph taking the news?" He asked softly.

Leonardo frowned in confusion. "What about you, Donny? Maybe she doesn't want to make a decision until she talks to you."

"Me?" He asked in confusion. "Why would she need to talk to me?"

"Because, Donny," Leonardo began in exasperation. "She probably doesn't want to take the job unless she can figure out how it will affect you two."

"Well, she's probably talked to Raph." Donatello mumbled.

Leonardo quickly stood. "She shouldn't be talking to Raph, Donny. She's _your_ girlfriend. This affects you and her, not her and Raph." Leonardo ground out angrily.

Donatello frowned and opened his mouth to ask Leonardo what he was talking about when Leonardo interrupted him.

"Listen, Donny. Even if Katherine does take the job, I'm sure you two can figure something out. Besides, she might not even be interested in the position." Leonardo took a calming breath. "Donny, Katherine loves you, and I know she won't just walk away from you for a job."

"Leo, this isn't just _a_ job, it is _the_ job. She has been working for the past 10 years -even before she went through university to get her degree- to make it to such a position. She would probably be the youngest person ever to be offered to head up a whole department. I could never stand in the way of that. And..." He stopped talking as he realized that Raphael, if he wasn't being the selfish bastard he usually was, wouldn't stand in the way of that either. Katherine was the only one who Raphael couldn't be selfish with. It was no wonder Raphael had looked miserable.

Leonardo walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder giving it a light squeeze. "You two will work things out." Leonardo reassured him. "Get some rest." Leonardo said as he slid the needle into Donatello's IV, pushing down the plunger.

Donatello's eyes shot to Leonardo's in protest. "No, I..." His eyelids drooped as he struggled to stay awake. His last thoughts full of confusion as to why Leonardo seemed to still think that Katherine was his girlfriend, since she was Raphael's fiancé.

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**hmmm wonder what's going on;)**

**reviews and opinions welcome:)**


	16. Chapter 16

**I know it's been a while since I have updated for this story, and I apologize. I haven't forgotten about it and you will all get a double dose of it so happy times;)**

**As always a giant thank you to my Beta Amonraphoenix who is the BEST EVER!**

**And to everyone who has taken the time to review, I very much appreciate it!**

**And now, please enjoy**

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**Chapter 16**

**Leonardo** glanced up as he heard Raphael swear and throw something hard against the brick wall of the garage.

He sheathed his swords, wiping the sweat from his brow as he walked out to confront his irate younger brother. It had been a week and a half since Donatello had regained lucidity and four days since Katherine had been released from the hospital; and Katherine had yet to visit.

Another round of harsh swearing was heard followed by another loud crash as Leonardo rounded the corner to see his brothers standing just outside the doors of the garage.

Raphael was in a rage and Michelangelo didn't look too pleased either. Michelangelo glanced over, taking his gaze away from Raphael who was demolishing the garage, a dark scowl on his face.

"I take it things didn't go well?" Leonardo asked quietly. Katherine's uncle owned a Penthouse somewhere in Manhattan, and after Katherine had been released from the hospital she had gone to stay with her Mother -her stepfather having already returned home- at her mother's very strong insistence. Unfortunately, between the paparazzi and Katherine's mother, neither of his brothers had been able to see Katherine or Holly.

"No." Michelangelo answered bitterly, Raphael seemed too angry to even utter a word. "We can't get close to the building, and Kitten's mom doesn't want us to see either Katherine or Holly. And from what Holly says, Sheila is planning on taking Katherine home tomorrow."

Leonardo felt his heart sink. "So Katherine's decided to take the position?" he asked quietly.

Michelangelo frowned but nodded. "Yeah, looks like it," he replied, voice soft and filled with sadness.

"So she isn't even going to talk to Donny before she leaves?" Leonardo asked incredulous.

Raphael's head snapped up a snarl on his face. He opened his mouth, but quickly snapped his beak closed and stormed off.

"What's up with him?" Leonardo asked. He could understand Raphael being upset, but Donatello was the one they should all be concerned about ay the moment.

Michelangelo shrugged. "He doesn't like the fact that Kitten's mom is stonewalling both of us. I'm just lucky that Holly has been able to call me to tell me what has been going on," Michelangelo growled in frustration.

Michelangelo took a calming breath and looked down at his hands, sorrow and disappointment crossing his features.

Leonardo advanced towards his baby brother, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure things between you and Holly are going to be fine."

Michelangelo glanced up, but did not look comforted in the least as he pulled away. "You don't get it, Leo. Kitten's mom practically rules her family, all of it. I mean, Kitten's uncle is the one with the cash, but it's Sheila that makes sure everyone stays in line. She doesn't want her daughter or her niece mixed up with a couple of mutant freaks," Michelangelo ground out bitterly. "And the worst part is, I can't really blame her for feeling that way."

Leonardo frowned and managed not to flinch at the truth of Michelangelo's words. He knew that it was going to be hard for any of them to find a woman who could look past the fact that they were mutant turtles, but Leonardo had never even factored extended family members into the equation.

"Mikey-" Leonardo began but Michelangelo just shook his head.

"Holly's leaving too. She's transferring to a Canadian university; the same one Kitten is going to," Michelangelo said miserably, turning and walking away, head down, disheartened and depressed.

Leonardo felt surprised at his brother's words and a pang of heartache rolled through him as his shoulders slumped. He walked to Donatello's room, knocking on the door before entering.

Donatello was awake and reading a magazine with a pencil clutched in his hand as he scribbled something down on a pad of paper.

"Hey, Donny, how are you feeling?" Leonardo asked quietly as he slowly approached his brother's bed.

Donatello looked up and studied him before answering. "Not bad," he answered slowly. "I'm breathing easier, which is nice, and I should be able to get out of bed in another two weeks, if not sooner."

Leonardo nodded as he took a seat by Donatello's bed. He took a deep breath, not knowing how he was going to even tell his brother that his girlfriend was leaving him and not even bothering to say goodbye or trying to work things out before she left.

"Katherine took the position at the university and she's leaving tomorrow," Leonardo blurted out in a rush of words, just wanting to get the bad news out and over with.

Donatello's eyes widened in shock before he quickly looked down at his magazine. "Of course she took the position," Donatello said quietly before he bit his lip, as if he wanted to ask or say something but couldn't allow himself to.

"Donny-" Leonardo began before Donatello cut him off.

"So...no goodbye?" he asked as he fiddled with the pencil in his hand.

"No," Leonardo answered truthfully.

"Did Raph manage to see her today?" Donatello asked softly.

"No," Leonardo answered. "And Mikey didn't get to see Holly either. It looks like Katherine's mother is taking them both from New York."

Donatello looked up at this, his eyes widening in shock before he frowned and looked back down, studying the pencil in his hands intently.

"I see," he answered grimly.

"Donny I-" Leonardo began as a knock sounded on the door.

Leonardo glanced over his shoulder as Michelangelo strode into the room, his hand clutching at his phone, face beaming with hope and excitement. "Holly just called; they aren't leaving, at least not yet. Something about Katherine's mom needing to stay in New York for another couple of weeks, which means we still have time to convince Kitten's mom that we are-"

"What, Mikey, good enough?" Raphael snarled as he strode into the room, anger flowing around him like a dark malignant cloud.

Donatello's expression changed from shock to confusion to carefully shuttered blankness.

"-not freaks," Michelangelo finished softly, shooting an irritated glance towards Raphael that was both hurt and angry.

Raphael snorted. "Good luck with that, Mikey."

"Raph, can I talk to you?" Donatello asked glancing up at their hotheaded brother.

Raphael looked as if he was about to refuse the request but finally gave a curt nod of agreement.

Donatello glanced at Leonardo, who took the hint and escorted Michelangelo out of the room; allowing his two brothers to talk for a moment in private. He closed the door behind him as he followed Michelangelo to the kitchen where his baby brother outlined his plans to get into Katherine's mother's good graces.

* * *

**Donatello** stared at Raphael who glared back at him. Donatello resisted the urge to grind his teeth together in frustrated irritation. "I'm tired of lying to them, Raph," he hissed angrily.

Raphael's eyes narrowed even more. "What the hell am I supposed to do, Donny?" Raphael rumbled as he began to pace back and forth. "Tell them that I stole Kitten back?" he asked, his voice containing a hint of anger and guilt. "That would go over _so_ well."

"You didn't-" Donatello began, but Raphael waved away his protest with a hand.

"Doesn't matter," Raphael ran a hand down his face. "I don't want them getting all stirred up over nothin'."

"Raph-" Donatello began before Raphael cut him off sharply.

"I don't know if she even still wants to be with me, 'kay? For all I know, she's changed her mind about marrying me and is running for the hills, which is fine. I can let her go if it makes her happy, but the thought that her mother is makin' her leave is pissing me off!" Raphael snarled his voice rising steadily with each angry, frustrated word. He continued to wear a path in Donatello's room, pacing back and forth in agitation. "I need to talk to her, but I wasn't able to when she was in the hospital, not with Mikey and Holly always in the room. Mikey never even left me alone with Katherine, not even once. I swear he parked himself in there purposely to make sure I wasn't going to do anything with her; probably on Leo's orders too," he ground out bitterly, but finally stopped pacing and faced Donatello again. "And now that Kitten's in the Penthouse, I can't even get within twenty feet of her."

"Raph-" Donatello tried again but Raphael just shook his head.

"Just drop it, Donny. You just keep on pretendin' that Kitten's your girlfriend because it's better and easier that way. Then if Kitten leaves, Mikey and Leo will be none the wiser and at least only one of my brothers will hate me rather than all three."

Donatello looked down at his fingers which had begun to worry at his blanket. He stilled them before speaking.

"I don't hate you, Raph," he told his brother truthfully, lifting his eyes to meet his brother's smoldering amber gaze. "I could _never_ hate you." The truth was he hated himself more. He hated himself for messing things up with Katherine in the first place, and he was angry and bitter over the whole situation that had caused him to throw her back into Raphael's arms. He couldn't blame Raphael at all, because Raphael loved Katherine. And Donatello knew himself well enough to know that if their situations were reversed he would jump at the chance to have Katherine back, even if it would ostracize him from his brothers, because he loved her that much. The thought of his life without her was an empty, barren wasteland, without hope, light or love, only stark, desolate nothingness.

Raphael only grunted at Donatello's words. He sighed and turned the conversation back to the topic at hand. "And if Katherine doesn't decide to leave what then?" Donatello inquired. "Do you think that Leo and Mikey are going to be welcoming you both with open arms? It will be even worse if they find out we've been lying to them for so long," he warned.

"Donny, I can get through anythin' if Kitten's by my side; even Leo and Mikey's disapproval," Raphael replied with determination.

Donatello frowned as a thought struck him. "How did Katherine agree to keep everything secret if you couldn't even talk to her?" he wondered.

"I told her that you were okay and that even though her 'boyfriend' couldn't be there, me and Mikey were," Raphael answered.

"And she just…went along with that?" Donatello asked incredulous.

Raphael shrugged nonchalantly. "She kinda gave me a funny look but nodded and seemed to go along with it."

Donatello palm slapped his forehead. "Did you ever think that Katherine thought that maybe you said that because you no longer wanted to be with her?"

Raphael blinked in shock for a moment before shaking his head. "Kitten ain't stupid."

"Raphael, Katherine is a woman, it's the first thought that came into my head." Donatello explained carefully.

"Well, maybe she did think that at first, but Kitten knows me better than that, she understood what was goin' on." he growled impatiently.

Donatello studied his brother and then sighed, nodding his head. _What was two more weeks of pretending Katherine was still his? _he asked himself. After all, he was already enduring the looks of pity and worry from Leonardo, and the plans for getting Katherine's mother to like them from Michelangelo; either way it would all be over soon. "Okay, Raph. Just…don't do anything stupid, okay?"

Raphael glared. "Yeah, like I can do anythin' with this stupid cast," he bit out angrily, motioning with his broken arm. "One week, that's all I gotta wait, then I can get this damn thing off and then...then let's see Kitten's mom try to keep me out," Raphael threatened.

* * *

**Donatello** sat up in bed, and winced, clutching at his plastron as his chest protested his sudden movement. He didn't know where he was for a moment, the room he was occupying was dark. His frantic gaze swept across familiar surroundings as he realized that he was in his room. Donatello breathed out a sigh of relief, trying to calm his frantically pounding heart and stop his sweat covered body from shaking.

He felt as if he had just woken up from some horrible nightmare, but he couldn't seem to remember what it was even about, or if that was what had actually happened. He took a deep calming breath and swallowed. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled his covers back up and over his still trembling body, gently lying back down on his slightly damp sheets.

He squeezed his eyes shut burying his head back in his pillow. He felt oddly worn out and drained, even though all he did was lay around every day; healing turned out to be exhausting work. He felt his body relax and he drifted back into sleep.

* * *

**Raphael** strode past Donatello's door. He thought he heard a noise coming from in his brother's room. Everyone had gone to sleep hours ago, all except Raphael who couldn't seem to sleep anymore. Between his worry about his and Katherine's relationship; his feelings of guilt towards Donatello; his irritation at the situation with Katherine's mother and the nightmares that woke him up in a cold sweat each and every night, sleep was not something he had gotten much of lately.

He listened again and heard only silence. He opened his brother's door, the light from the hallway filtering into his brother's darkened room. Donatello lay on his bed, soundly sleeping.

Raphael sighed, closing the door behind him. _At least one of us is able to sleep_, he thought to himself bitterly as he walked to his room, expecting to stare at the ceiling for the next several hours.

* * *

**Donatello** jammed the point of his pencil under his cast and scratched at an annoying itch. He was pensive, worried and disheartened. It had been one week since he had a heated discussion with Raphael in his bedroom and even though things hadn't gotten any worse, they hadn't gotten any better either.

Leonardo and Michelangelo had not questioned his relationship with Katherine, only coming in now and then to give him words of encouragement; which had only served to twist the metaphorical knife in his heart even deeper. But he knew he had no one to blame for his current predicament but himself; and he didn't regret what he had done, since it had saved his brother's life. His only problem was that he was still hopelessly in love with Katherine, and he knew that this particular affliction would not vanish any time soon. Katherine had a way of crawling into your heart, and staying there, even when you wanted her gone; at least this metaphor seemed true if even after nearly two years, Raphael had still been hopelessly in love with her.

This thought brought him back to his current problem with Raphael; who was beside himself with hurt, indecision and anger because he still hadn't been able to talk to Katherine. Donatello had tried to calm Raphael down on numerous occasions, but his brother had been too angry and unreasonable to listen to anything he had said, and Donatello was worried that if something didn't change soon, Raphael was going to lose it, and probably to something very stupid. The only thing that had been holding Raphael back was his cast and sling, but both had been removed today and Donatello had a strong premonition that Raphael planned to do something very reckless tonight.

Donatello repressed a sigh and looked down at his cast in annoyance. He knew he should leave it on for at least another week, but he also knew that he needed to stop Raphael from storming Katherine's uncle's penthouse like some errant knight in shining armour, acting like he is rescuing her from a fire breathing dragon rather than from her mother's good intentions.

Donatello ripped the Velcro from his removable cast. He could understand Raphael's motives as he himself was supressing his own need to go to the Penthouse. He wanted to see her one last time before she left for good. He needed to touch her, just to make sure she was alive and well, and happy. If she was all of these things, he could let her go; to Canada, or into Raphael's arms, he had resigned himself to either possibility and had accepted them, even if he didn't like either of them.

He carefully slid his leg from the bed and then the other. Over the past week he had secretly been getting in and out of bed on his own. And although he knew he was a little weak and his leg still ached fiercely from not being completely healed yet, he knew he needed to have another talk with Raphael.

As he stood, his legs shook slightly, threatening to collapse beneath him, but he acknowledged that he felt good; better than he had in weeks. He took a deep breath, his lungs and ribs aching as he did so, but better than they had been. He tested his leg again and although it throbbed slightly, he felt that it was healed enough to walk on for a short distance.

He walked towards the door, turning the knob and opened it wide, revealing Katherine, standing in the doorway, hand raised as if ready to knock.

"Katherine," he breathed out in awed shock.

"Hello, Donatello," she said with a slightly strained smile as he reached out a shaking hand, dragging his fingers across her cheek; just to make sure she was real. Her skin was warm and velvety beneath his fingertips, confirming that she was now -somehow and for some reason- standing in front of him just outside of his bedroom.

His fingers slid further across her cheek burying themselves into the hair at the back of her head. He pulled her forward and into him; his lips claiming hers as he stepped back into his room, dragging her with him and kicking the door shut with his foot. He devoured her, his hands touching every part of her body, holding her tightly against his own and not thinking about anything but the fact that she was in his arms.

He didn't think about Raphael, or the fact that Katherine was engaged to him. All he could think about was that Katherine had died. She had lain of the floor, pale, limp, cold...lifeless...

Dead.

Losing her to Raphael was nothing compared to losing her to death, and he needed to know that she was alive; that they were both alive. The month they had spent apart suddenly contracted into mere moments because he was back in the library, trapped and shouting desperately at Raphael to save the woman they both loved. He was back in the living room watching as she was dragged up from the cold depths of her watery grave.

Every sense he had burned with the need to possess her; his breath needed to be her breath, her heartbeat needed to be his. He needed to feel her surrounding him, warm, vibrant...alive.

He pulled her back twisting and pushing her down and onto his bed, his hands roving up her bare legs, slipping beneath her dress to her underwear.

Katherine never wore dresses, not unless she had to. The fact that she was wearing a dress right now didn't even register with him, nor did he even attempt to temper or cease his lust fuelled actions.

Katherine was speaking to him between hungry kisses, but he couldn't hear her words over his rapidly beating heart, and the blood that rushed through his ears. All he knew for sure was that her body responded to his each and every frantic touch and need filled caress.

He trailed kisses down her throat, moving the fabric of her clothing away from her shoulder. He grabbed at her underwear and tore it from her body as he bit into the flesh of her shoulder. She gasped, his bite being hard enough to hurt, but not hard enough to break skin. He knew he was marking her, claiming her as his, but the bite wasn't enough. He slipped his pants down just enough so that he was able to spring free, positioning himself at her entrance-

"Donatello, stop!" Katherine shouted at him, pushing him away. He released her shoulder and looked down at her in momentary confusion, as if unable to fathom why she would want him to stop. Her eyes were wide and filled with tears, agony written across her features. In-between hungry kisses she had tried to stop him, but he hadn't been able to hear her words.

He blinked, as he realized what he had been about to do. His confusion turned to horror. He had not only practically forced himself upon her, but had nearly betrayed his brother as well.

He continued to look into her shimmering eyes, shock and revulsion at what he had just done -at what he had been about to do- rolling through him. The tears that had been swimming in her eyes fell from the edges of her eyes and Donatello touched his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes against the pain that he could see swimming around in her expressive green depths. "I'm sorry," he whispered miserably; only he wasn't quite sure if he was actually apologizing for his actions, or if he was in reality apologizing for messing everything up so badly that the woman he loved was now engaged to be married to his brother.

Truthfully, it was probably a little bit of both.

"I know," she whispered, because she did know.

He clenched his teeth together tightly, trying to gain some sort of semblance of control over his mind and body, and only partially succeeded. He was having trouble stomping down and repressing the primal, visceral, life affirming need to claim the woman he loved; even now, knowing how very, very wrong his actions were. He tried to move himself from her body, but couldn't. It was on the tip of his tongue to beg her to leave his brother and run away with him, only he knew she would decline the invitation, not because she wouldn't want to, but because neither of them would be able to live with the resulting guilt of hurting Raphael like that.

He opened his eyes, lifting his head up and looking into his ex-lover's bright moss green gaze. Her eyes were filled not with fear of him, as he had expected, but rather, need of him, and desire for him as well. They stared at each other and didn't say anything, they didn't need to. It was as if they both had a moment of absolute and total clarity. Katherine loved him, wanted him, would be happy with him, but she loved Raphael as well, and Donatello's love was holding her back; not allowing her to fully love Raphael.

"You have to let me go," she whispered. "Please, Donatello. Please let me go," she begged and he knew she wasn't just talking about him physically releasing her from his bed.

He stared at her intently for a moment, his mind, body and heart all warring with each other before he finally murmured, "I can't." Because he couldn't. It wasn't in his nature to just let something go. He was logical and used his mind in the pursuit of answers and solutions to problems; some mundane, others complex, but he had never been able to just give up. He pursued and persevered until he found his answers; but these were scientific and mathematical problems, his relationship with Katherine was neither mathematical nor scientific, yet in a way it was. He loved her because of her ability to turn his world completely upside down. She was a puzzle he could never solve, but tried to anyway. She perplexed, fascinated, amused and interested him. He connected with her in ways that he never believed he would be able to do with another living, breathing person.

He was not good with emotions or relationships in general. He tried to be a good friend, a good brother, and a good son, but he would fall into abstraction, becoming obsessed and selfish, indulging his own pursuits and whims. But Katherine wouldn't let him, not anymore. She had dragged him out of his laboratory and into life and he found he loved living each day free of his machines, inventions and the constant pursuit of answers, because she was his greatest discovery.

She would fascinate him for eternity, and he couldn't walk away from that, even though he knew he should, because his brother's happiness and hers depended upon it.

He had never thought of himself as selfish, that tended to come out most in Raphael's personality, but apparently he was as well. He wasn't going to let Katherine go unless she told him that she didn't love him, and he knew she couldn't.

Of course unlike Raphael he wasn't a complete and total bastard. He may not be able to let her go, but it didn't mean that he couldn't set her free.

"Katherine, I know I shouldn't have..." he brushed a finger across her cheek, leaning down and kissing her again, savouring the moment because he knew it would probably be the last time he would ever feel his lips upon hers; the warmth of her body pressed up against his. His kiss became desperate, and it was nearly a physical pain to pull away from her lips, but if he didn't, he wasn't going to be able to control himself. He would beg her for just one more time. One last moment for them to enjoy the feel of each other's bodies moving together as they both pursued the pleasure they could find in each other's arms.

He pulled away and lightly kissed her forehead, his eyes still closed. He clutched her to him tightly. "I'm sorry." Donatello apologized again, as she let out a choked sob. He didn't know what Katherine's plans were; didn't know if she had indeed taken the job in Canada, or if she had changed her mind. He didn't know how much influence her mother had on her decision and didn't even know if she still planned on marrying his brother anymore. But he didn't want his current actions to influence her decision. She needed to marry Raphael, no matter how much his heart hurt at this thought. He wasn't trying to steal her back -even though his actions clearly supported this assumption- and she needed to know this.

He opened his eyes and looked into hers, which were filled with pain, regret, guilt, and indecision. "Please, don't leave him. I know that what I just did was... it was a horrible mistake and it was wrong of me to...to try to take you away from Raph."

Katherine closed her eyes, shaking her head back and forth. He tried to understand what was going on in her mind as he apologized to her, but he couldn't because she had closed her eyes.

"I love you, Katherine, and I can't let you go, but I want for you to be with Raph and be happy with him," he whispered, even as they both knew that his words were half truth and half lie. He slid from her body, standing as he adjusted himself.

Katherine scrambled from the bed, hastily smoothing her dress back down over her hips. She quickly brushed the tears away from her cheeks and tried to fix her hair. Donatello looked at her appearance which was bothering him. She wore an above the knee white filmy, gauzy dress with a long white jacket. Her hair though still slightly messy was skillfully done, and she wore make-up and jewelry, which was unusual for her. He took in her hair, make-up and the white dress and felt horror roll through him.

A bride.

That was what she looked like; a woman who was about to run away -to elope against the wishes of her family- but wanted to at least look somewhat bride-like.

Katherine wasn't leaving his brother, she was marrying him. At least, that had been her intent until Donatello had taken his ex-girlfriend -his brother's current fiancé- and dragged her to his bed so that he could have sex with her because he needed to.

"Donatello-" Katherine began quietly, her voice shaking, a slight sob in the back of her throat .

"Katherine, this is my fault," he said, striding up to her and cupping her cheek with his hand. "I know you love me, and maybe you love me more than Raph, maybe you don't. Maybe you think you owe me something, I don't know, but what just happened, Raph can never find out about, because it would destroy him. But I need to know, have you married him?" he asked the question as the possibility that Raphael had already run to Katherine's rescue and married her in a quick ceremony with a blind priest tumbled through his mind.

"No," Katherine whispered miserably with a shake of her head. "Why would you think..." She looked down at herself. "Oh." The word was barely audible. "M-my mother..." Katherine couldn't even finish her sentence as she tipped her head back, trying to blink back the tears. She wiped away a few tears that threatened to escape and looked back at him. "I needed to make sure you were okay. And...and... I have to s-say goodbye," she told him softly a hitch of misery in her voice.

Even though her words were not unexpected, they sent a wave of heartbreak and gloom rolling through him anyway. His mind then flew to Raphael.

Katherine was leaving his brother.

Part of him was relieved that he had at least not committed the unforgivable betrayal of trying to have sex with his brother's fiancé, but at the same time, part of him was devastated for his brother losing the woman he loved; the woman they both loved.

At the same time he knew he had to try to stop her. "You can't leave him," he whispered as he shook his head back and forth.

She gave him a miserable look. "After what just happened, I don't have a choice, Donatello," her voice broke. Donatello felt his body and heart go numb with shock. Katherine hadn't been planning on leaving Raphael, and now she was because of what he had just done.

She turned, quickly rushing to the door. Donatello followed, grabbing her arm in an almost painful grip. "Don't," he snapped harshly.

She turned and roughly pushed him away. "Don't," she hissed. "You...you..." she seemed at a loss for words, her eyes sparking with misery and anger, all mixed together in a swirl of conflicting emotions. "I love you," she finally choked out and Donatello felt his heart skip a beat. He took a careful step towards her, but she pushed him away again, as if his very presence hurt her.

"I was going to marry Raphael, but coming in here today, seeing you, remembering everything that happened on the island; the earthquake and tsunami, being trapped and dying... I knew kissing you was wrong, but forgivable. Having you drag me onto your bed and being tempted to just give into what I wanted would have been unforgivable. I wanted to make love to you so badly that my body was on fire with the need of it." She swallowed and continued. "I can't marry Raphael when I am still in love with you, Donatello"

"Katherine," his voice was gentle and hitched with emotion. He reached out for her, but she avoided his touch.

"And I can't be with you when I am still in love with Raphael," she whispered wretchedly. "I nearly died, and I was so scared I was going to lose both of you. I couldn't imagine my life without either of you in it. But I love you both, and it isn't fair to you and it isn't fair to him. You shouldn't have to be content with half my heart, Donatello, and neither should Raphael."

"Katherine, don't do this, don't leave him. We'll figure something out," he pleaded again but she shook her head angrily back and forth, wiping away more tears with the back of her hand.

"I won't be the one responsible for destroying yours and Raphael's relationship, Donatello. You don't want Raphael to have a broken heart, and he doesn't want you to have a broken heart either. We are all playing this game where no one wants anyone's heart to get broken, but the reality is that all our hearts are breaking anyway, because we know someone's heart is going to get broken." She took a quick breath before continuing. "It's better if I just walk away from both of you. At least then you both will have the opportunity to be happy with someone else; someone who can love you with their whole heart."

Donatello stared at her in panicked desperation. He understood what she was saying, but at the same time, he wanted her to understand that he didn't care if his heart was broken. He had been living with a broken heart ever since he had broken up with Katherine and forced her into Raphael's arms; and he couldn't bear being responsible for Katherine breaking Raphael's heart. Which was exactly what Katherine was talking about, but... "Katherine-" he tried again.

Katherine closed her eyes and shook her head knowing his thoughts. Donatello realized that there was nothing he could say that would change her mind, and she knew it. She quickly turned and opened the door, gently closing it behind her.

He stared at his door with a grim, sick feeling sliding around in his gut. He stumbled back falling onto his bed and he placed his head in his hands. He didn't know how he was ever going to face Raphael again.

She had planned on marrying Raphael until he had messed everything up by reminding Katherine how much she loved him, and how much he loved her.

He thought of striding out and telling Raphael what had happened, but knew what he was thinking was tantamount to suicide. When Raphael found out that Donatello had dragged Katherine to his bed and almost made love to her, devouring her, and then essentially being responsible for Katherine leaving him, Raphael would probably kill him. And if his brother did kill him it wouldn't be like he wouldn't have deserved it because Donatello believed that there was a small, dark and petty part of his mind that had been trying to steal Katherine back.

It was possible he knew that Katherine would leave them both and had been determined to see that if he couldn't have Katherine, that Raphael couldn't have her either. But he quickly dismissed this thought. He didn't think that he could ever have predicted that Katherine would just up and leave both of them, which was the problem. Her unpredictability drew him to her, and the thought of her leaving forever, never to be in his life again, hurt him more than any physical pain he had ever endured.

Donatello stood and began to pace around his room, ignoring the pain that was throbbing in his leg as he did so. He tried to figure out a way to stop Katherine from breaking off her engagement with Raphael. He ran a hand down his face. He had no idea how he was going to make this right, and that was because he couldn't.

He was going to have to live for the rest of his life with the crushing guilt of having destroyed his brother's relationship and future happiness.

An ugly part of himself almost wished he had made love to Katherine, because if he was going to destroy Raphael's trust, happiness, and relationship with both himself and Katherine, he should have destroyed everything utterly and completely. Then Raphael would have reason to kill him, which would have at least spared him the feelings of guilt, regret and devastation he was suffering now.

* * *

**Thoughts and opinions are always welcome, and I know rough chapter:( Lots of drama, hmmm watching too many CW shows I ah well hope everyone enjoyed:)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Okay so this chapter is very looooong, and I apologize for that. But there just didn't seem to be any good place to stop it any earlier, so...enjoy:)**

**A giant thank you to Amonraphoenix who beta read this chapter for me, you are awesome, and I can't tell you enough how much your input and mad editing skills mean to me. :)**

**Also a big thank you to SleepingSeeker for your awesome words of encouragement and praise. It is greatly appreciated! **

**And a big thank you to all of my other reviewers as well! **

** So now...on with the show.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Raphael** walked from the training room, pulling his shirt up and over his head, throwing it over his shoulder and hanging onto it with his finger. It was dripping with sweat after having gone a few rounds with his heavy bag to deal with his frustration and anger. His cast had finally come off and he wasn't taking it easy. Donatello would probably yell at him if he knew what he had been doing, but Raphael didn't care, he had to get rid of some of his rage before he took it out on someone else.

He was also avoiding Michelangelo and Leonardo like the plague. He didn't want to listen to any more of Michelangelo's schemes to stop the two women from leaving New York, and he was tired of Leonardo looking at him with suspicious eyes.

He clenched his hand into an angry fist. He needed to find a way to talk to Katherine. He didn't want to stop her from pursuing her dream, but he couldn't let her just walk out of his life, not after everything they had been through. He had just got her back and he refused to let her go.

He caught a glimpse of a feminine form in white out of the corner of his eye as he passed the entrance of the garage. He stopped and turned, following the figure in confusion.

"Katherine?" he breathed out her name in shock. The familiar crushing weight of guilt assaulted him as Katherine turned and looked at him over her shoulder. He tried to swallow down his guilt, but choked on it instead. He had not only stolen Donatello's girlfriend, but he had also failed to save Katherine when she had been trapped in the basement.

Although he had seen her several times in the hospital -had felt it his palpable culpability each and every single time- he had been unable to ask her if she hated him for failing her. Michelangelo had saved her, pulling her from her icy grave, but Raphael had refused to let her die, even after Donatello had called her death, Raphael had refused to give up and she had come back to him. But he wondered if she blamed him as he blamed himself, and wondered if this was part of the reason she had wished to take the job in Canada. She hadn't acted like she hated him or blamed him, but with Michelangelo in the room, had been in considerable pain and on heavy pain medication, it had been hard to tell. But now that she was recovered, he wasn't sure what her feelings towards him would be. He had been so anxious to talk to her, but now, confronted with her, alone, he nearly lost his nerve, but he had to know if she still wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her.

Her expression however stopped him in his tracks. Her eyes were full of tears and as blue as the depths of the Mediterranean. She was frighteningly pale, twin trails of dampness glistening on her cheeks in the artificial light. She brushed the wetness away quickly as she turned to face him.

He felt his heart fall into the pit of his stomach, a trickle of dread slid across his skin which prickled with fresh perspiration that beaded under his arms and across his neck and forehead.

His shirt slid from his finger to land on the floor behind him. He closed his eyes as he realized the answer to all of his questions. She was leaving him. He had seen it in her eyes, the agony of a weighty decision crushing her with sorrow.

He opened his eyes, teeth grinding against each other as he fought down his sudden grief filled anger. He couldn't stand in her way. If it was the job, not loving him, or being unable to forgive him, whatever the reason he had to let her go.

He stepped towards her and stopped, another emotion flashed across her face that had his feet suddenly rooting to the floor in stark disbelief. Katherine looked stricken, but more than that, she looked _guilty_.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion, taking in her slightly mussed hair, swollen lips and rumpled dress.

She took a step back as he suddenly advanced towards her, rage nearly consuming him. He backed her up until she was pressed up and trapped against the far wall.

His nostrils flared as he breathed in her sent. "You smell like sweat, desire and... my younger brother," he snarled lowly placing a hand against the wall by her head and leaning in close. He was trying to control both his fury and his feelings of heart wrenching betrayal. He took a deep breath, taking in both his brother's scent as well as that of his fiancé. He clenched his jaw tightly closed, knowing that the only reason he was still standing in front of her right now and not charging out of the garage, up the stairs, down the hall, and storming through his brother's bedroom door -probably to do him serious physical harm- was because of the woman standing in front of him.

He couldn't be that monster, no matter how much Donatello deserved the monster's wrath, because he could never be that monster in front of her; never again in front of her.

He took another deep breath and counted to ten. This didn't help so he balled his hand into a fist and punched the rough stone by her head hard. The sharp, biting pain managed to cut through some of his fury, but not much.

Katherine flinched but didn't seem frightened of him or his rage. Instead she looked away, head bowed in guilty shame.

"I know," she agreed. Her voice was soft and wavered slightly, but there were no denials or stammered excuses, only the cold, hard truth in reply to his accusation.

Raphael closed his eyes in devastation, his anger flaring hotly within him, replacing his desolation.

A low growl rumbled from deep within his chest. Too many thoughts and questions burned through his mind, but he was only able to force one word out through his clenched jaw.

"Why?" The word was more feral snarl than actual speech. Of course the word contained the question of _why_ to so many different questions; why did she go and see his brother first before seeing him? Why did she sleep with Donatello? And why did she agree to marry him if it was Donatello that she had wanted all along?

Katherine seemed to be able to tell that his question was not as simple as it seemed and collected herself before she spoke. "It was never..." She stopped herself, swallowed and began again after taking in a shuddering breath. "I saw you, Raphael. I knew you were okay and I know you said that he was okay, but...I needed to see for myself that he was. I needed to touch him and know that he was still alive and well. He nearly died and the thought that I almost lost him has been tearing me apart for these past few weeks," she admitted miserably.

"Katherine, you _did _die, remember?" he growled angrily, the sharp catch of wretchedness entering his voice. "I almost lost you and you..." his voice caught on the lump of hurt and betrayal that lodged in his throat.

"I didn't know that he would..." She stopped herself before she continued more firmly. "That _we_-" she emphasized the word, her eyes the colour of a storm ravaged sea.

He leaned forward, her words halting abruptly as his lips hovered just over the quickly beating pulse in her throat. He blew out a puff of air and she shivered as his hot breath caressed her cool delicate skin.

He wondered if she was afraid of him, and if that was why she shook slightly; if she was just that upset; or if it was some other deeper, more carnal reason.

"Did you have sex with Donny?" he asked, needing to hear the words of guilt and acknowledgement from her. He was done making assumptions and jumping to conclusions. He knew Katherine would never lie to him, and so he braced himself for the brutal, hurtful truth he had no doubt that he was about to hear.

"No," she answered softly and Raphael nearly collapsed with relief before she spoke her next words. "But-"

"I'm guessin' it was a pretty damn close thing," he interrupted, not wanting to hear the details.

She bit her lip and nodded, avoiding his eyes as she did so.

Raphael closed his own eyes. "So you're leaving me," he stated softly, opening his eyes as he pulled away from her intoxicating scent, even laced as it was with his treacherous brother's.

She looked at him her eyes filled with misery as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes," she choked out.

Raphael closed his eyes in despair. "So you chose Donny," he ground out bitterly, his eyes sliding open to gaze back at her.

Her eyes widened slightly and shifted away. "No," she answered quietly and Raphael felt his own eyes widen in shock. "I'm going home," she murmured trying to step past him.

Raphael frowned in confusion, reaching out and placing his hand on her chest, pinning her back against the wall. "As in back to Canada?" he asked.

She nodded.

"So you're leaving both of us?" he asked, trying to understand what was going on.

She nodded again, her voice having apparently abandoned her.

"Why?" he asked, completely mystified. He was still furious, but his anger had been tempered with confusion.

"Because I can't-" Raphael ground his teeth together and Katherine cut herself off, eyes wide with trepidation as he leaned into her. He narrowed his eyes and studied her, putting the pieces of what had happened between his brother and Katherine together in his mind. He didn't know the details, but he had an inkling of _what _had happened in his brother's bedroom and _why_.

"So before Donny did whatever the hell he did, were you going to stay?" he asked in a surprisingly level voice.

She paused as if she was actually unsure of the answer before confirming his suspicions by giving a shrug.

"Were you planning on leaving me?" he wondered as he crushed her between his plastron and the cold stone wall at her back.

She didn't answer him, looking intently at his throat.

"Yes or no, Katherine?" he growled her name as he placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face up so that she had no choice but to look him in the eyes.

"Raph-" she whispered as she looked at him with desperation, but the answer was there, in her eyes, but he needed to hear it from her own lips.

"Before my..._brother_," the word dripped with disgust and the impression that this particular relationship was in serious contention for validity, "Decided to kiss you breathless -and who knows what else- were you going to leave me?"

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath as if bracing herself before she opened her still blue eyes, shaking her head back and forth. He felt some of the tension leave his body. She hadn't planned on leaving him, that's all he cared about right now. Which meant he was going to do his damndest to fix whatever the hell it was that Donatello had broken.

"Do you love me-?" he asked voice intense, almost harsh. He knew she did, but he couldn't seem to ask her the part that was really important, '-_more than Donny_?' because he was afraid of the answer.

"Yes," she replied her eyes still filled with misery. "But-"

"I don't give a shit about your 'buts'," he snarled as he tilted her head up, kissing her passionately before pulling away. "You weren't gonna leave me, that's all that matters."

"Raphael," she pleaded, her eyes filling again with tears. "I wasn't going to, but-"

He ignored her words because they were just an excuse. "I'm gonna fix what Donny broke," he promised as he interrupted her.

"You can't 'fix' this," she said exasperated, eyes pleading for him to understand.

But he didn't understand, and he didn't care. She was trying to get him to understand something that she thought was important, but as far as he was concerned, wasn't. His entire focus was concentrated on undoing whatever Donatello had done by making her realize that she loved him too damn much to leave.

"Do you know why I ain't tearin' Donny limb from limb right now?" he asked pulling back slightly to give her room to breathe.

She studied him for a moment seeming to understand that the question was important. She searched his eyes, learning every single secret that he kept hidden; even the ones he hid from himself. Her eyes stripped him bare and pierced his soul, laying waste to every barrier and every wall he had ever erected to keep anyone and everyone out; except her.

"Yes. But Raphael, that's not-" she began, her words turning into a gasp as he buried his beak in her neck, his teeth scraping over her franticly beating pulse. He gave a small grin of triumph. Donatello had tried and failed to seduce her, but Raphael was damn well going to succeed. She wanted him, he was sure of it, desire riding just below the misery that rode on the surface of sea coloured eyes.

"Answer me," he demanded in a low whisper. "Why ain't Donny dead yet?" he asked pulling away enough that he could read the expression in her eyes.

She ground her teeth together in frustration. He was purposefully distracting her and she knew it. He was not going to let her drag the conversation back to where she wanted it to be. However, at the mention of Donatello's name her face filled with concern and hurt.

She broke eye contact. "Raphael, you don't understand, I can't-"

"Just answer the question," he snapped with irritation.

"No," she snapped back, anger replacing her sadness -which was good- because Raphael knew all about anger, and Katherine's anger was easier to deal with than her sadness. "Stop trying to distract me. I'm trying to-"

"Break up with me, yeah I got that, and I am ignoring the hell outta that fact," he shot back.

"Why are you being so stubborn and pigheaded?!"

"Because you're being difficult!" he barked back. She glared at him angrily and he narrowed his eyes in return, grabbing her chin between his fingers. "My younger brother just tried to take _my _girl," he snarled, "and just fucked everything up-"

"Donatello wasn't trying to 'take' me, and he didn't intentionally 'F' everything up!" she defended, cutting him off from what was about to become an angry tirade. "He was grabbing for some small bit of sanity and reassurance that I was alive and that he was alive and that we had both made it through hell and back and survived." She looked at him intently, a challenge in her eyes. "And if your positions were reversed, you would have done exactly the same thing!"

He grunted before giving her a condescending smile. "I wouldn't have done _exactly_ the same thing_,_" he refuted. "I would have succeeded where Donny failed," he boasted smoothly.

Katherine leveled a look of irritated disbelief at him before pushing him back; or at least she tried to. She might as well have been trying to move a brick wall for all her efforts were able to move him.

But Katherine was right and had answered his question about why Donatello wasn't in a world of hurt at the moment. He understood his brother's motives for trying to have seduce Katherine. If their positions had been reversed -if Katherine had chosen Donatello instead- and if Raphael had been unable to save Katherine's life -trapped and on the brink of death and only receiving updates of her condition from his brothers when he began to recover- he would have been half driven from his mind. The need to see and to feel for himself that she was alive and well would have been too strong to fight. He wouldn't have given a shit if she _was _Donatello's fiancé, the moment he saw her he would have taken her, just to reaffirm that he was alive, that she was alive, and that they had both had managed to live through something that was so horrific and terrifying, that he didn't ever want to experience it ever again.

"No, you wouldn't have," she ground out.

"You wouldn't have had a choice," he answered back with a low growl. "You would have felt the same damn thing for me as you just felt for Donny, and I am a hell of a lot more persuasive than he is."

"He-" Katherine stopped talking as if debating whether she wanted to continue. "He was beyond reason," she whispered, looking away and Raphael suddenly felt his blood run cold. "All he wanted was for me to save him; to banish all of his fears and the dark and to prove to him that we were both alive. I think he actually forgot that we weren't together anymore, maybe... I don't know, I don't think he cared. His world had narrowed into such a small pinpoint of existence, that only he and I existed within it," she finished miserably.

Raphael recoiled at the image conjured in his mind of Donatello forcing himself on Katherine. "I'm going to kill him," he hissed dangerously, changing his mind about letting his brother live.

She clutched at his arms, nails digging into his flesh, holding him in place. "Don't," she whispered. "I should have stopped him sooner, but…but I didn't want to stop him." She looked up at him, eyes bright with fresh tears. "Do you understand now? I didn't _want _him to stop."

Raphael flinched at her words. He wanted to say something; yell, rage, do anything but stand there and listen to her words, but he was unable to talk through the lump of heartbreak that had formed in his throat. She loved him, but it was obvious that Katherine loved Donatello more.

"I was so worried about him, I was suffocated by the feeling. He opened his door and he had this look on his face, full of shock, surprise, and disbelief, but it was more than that. He looked so lost, as if he was out at sea, drifting aimlessly around and had finally found land. He pulled me into his room and dragged me onto his bed and I was consumed by the same needs and desires as he was. I realized then how much I still loved him and that I wanted to take away that lost, need filled look in his eyes so badly, that I would have gone against everything I believed in to do it," she answered in a voice full of remorse.

Raphael growled at her words, slamming his eyes shut so that he wouldn't have to gaze into her agonized eyes. Rage burned through him at his brother actions, but because he understood them his anger died a swift, violent death, leaving him stricken, broken and empty. He should have known that Katherine could never love him more than she loved Donatello. His brother was so much better for her than he could ever be. Donatello was smarter than he was, listened intently to everything she said and was able to offer his own opinions on things that Raphael didn't even understand. Donatello was thoughtful, attentive and gentle. Katherine didn't have to worry about Donatello flying into a rage, or being in a foul mood and taking his frustrations out on her. Compared to his brother, even Raphael had to admit that he hadn't stood a chance.

He knew that Katherine had only agreed to be with him to save his life, and he had tried to make her understand that she had no obligation to him to keep her deathbed promise, but she had apparently -up to this point- been too honourable to go against her promise to him.

"But cheating is something I would never do to someone I love," she said fiercely. "So you can tell yourself that you would have succeeded in seducing me, but I wouldn't have had sex with you because I could no more betray him than I could you. You don't hurt the ones you love like that. You don't destroy their trust, because once that trust is lost, it is almost impossible to win back."

Raphael nodded in understanding, his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach like a heavy piece of lead at the word 'trust'. He wanted what Donatello had, but he could never have it because he had betrayed Katherine's trust when he had lashed out at her and struck her. He had fought hard to win her trust back, and he truly believed he had, but he understood now that it hadn't been enough.

He realized then that he needed to let her go; even though he knew he never could, but she didn't need to know that. He beat back the bitter, jealous, spiteful, selfish, hateful part of his personality that rose up to consume him and did the _right_ thing. "You don't have to leave, Katherine," he murmured softly as he touched his cheek to hers, just so he wouldn't have to see the look of thankfulness in her eyes; because it would probably break him. "Don't think that you have to leave Donny 'cause you think you owe me something or that you'd be breaking your promise to me."

"Raphael, you don't understand-"

"I understand, Katherine," he interrupted as he pulled away enough to brave the look in her eyes. "I get it. You love Donny more than you love me, so that's fine. The better turtle won." He couldn't stop the thread of bitterness that laced his last words, so he tried to counter this with a smile that probably looked as forced as it felt.

"Raphael-"

He interrupted her again, because he didn't want to hear any words of apology or tearful denials. "You'd better go tell him that you're staying and that you love him the most. He's probably crying into a math equation or somethin', and you know how hard it is to watch Donny cry." He stepped back freeing her so that she could go and be with his brother.

"Raph-"

"Just go, okay," he snapped in angry frustration. "You don't have to apologize or-"

Fury rolled across Katherine's features, her eyes shifting from blue-green to such a light leaf green that Raphael's words abruptly caught in his throat. She advanced on him slamming her hands into his plastron and giving him a hard enough shove that he stumbled back a step.

"Stop talking!" she shouted angrily. "And stop interrupting me! I've been trying to…to tell you t-that…I can't be with Donatello!" She cried out.

"Why the hell not?!" he barked back, furious that she wasn't jumping at the chance he had given her.

"Because I love you too much!" she yelled at him, her chest heaving, eyes still glittering with furious anger. "Don't you understand?! I love you too much!"

Raphael opened his mouth before snapping it closed, overcome by enough confusion that she had actually rendered him speechless. Her words of "_I love you too much,"_ rang loudly in his head as he slowly took a step towards her. He attempted to brush away a tear that had trickled down her cheek during her vehement tirade, but she flinched back, arms wrapping around to hug herself tightly.

"I don't know how long I was in the basement for, watching as the water slowly rose up, inch by inch, and I was determined that I wasn't going to sit around and wait to die. I came up with a plan and kept myself alive long enough for Michelangelo to find me, but," she hugged herself more tightly. He wanted to reach out to her but knew she would only avoid his comfort, so let his had drop back down to his side. "But as I struggled to survive, all I could think about was you and Donatello. You were free but Donatello was trapped, and neither of us knew how badly hurt he was. I begged for you to save him as he begged for you to save me, and all I could do was hope that you both made it, even if I didn't, because the thought of losing one or both of you was something I couldn't bear."

"I knew you blamed me, and you should. I failed you both," he bit out brokenly, tears pricking his eyes as his guilt ripped and tore through him flaying him and leaving his heart a mangled bloody mess of muscle.

"You _tried_, Raphael. No one is blaming you or thinking that you failed; not me, not Donatello, not anyone."

"But-"

She waved off his protest with a slight movement of her hand as she continued to hug herself tightly. "I just...I was so relieved that you were both okay. But when I was in the hospital you hid our relationship and I wondered if you were having second thoughts or if the guilt was eating you up alive-"

He interrupted her. "I was scared that you hated me, or that you changed your mind about marrying me, so I…having Donny hate me is better than having my whole family hating me for stealing you back."

She shook her head at his words, dismissing his fears with this simple motion . "I thought of Donatello constantly as I recovered, and I thought that it was because I was just worried about him. But as soon as I saw him I realized that this wasn't the reason." She looked at him, her face full of sadness and regret. She let go of herself reaching out placing something in his hand. He looked down at his hand in confusion and saw her engagement ring lying in his palm.

"Please don't," he begged.

"I love you, Raphael, I do, but...I still love Donatello," she explained regretfully.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he tried to swallow down the lump of hurt that was closing off his throat, making it hard to breathe.

He frowned in sudden confusion when he remembered that she had told him earlier that she couldn't be with Donatello either. She hadn't said that she loved Donatello more, only that she still loved his brother, and that was something he already knew.

"So if you love Donny, why can't you-

"I don't love Donatello more," she quickly interjected.

Hope flared somewhere in the black hole in his chest where his shattered heart used to be. "Then what the hell is the problem?" he snapped as he closed his fist over the ring he had given her before jamming it into his pants pocket. "I know you still love Donny, so what?"

She blinked at him in shock. "What do you mean 'so what'?" she asked incredulous. "My heart is betraying you because it doesn't fully and completely love you. I love you both equally and my heart is being torn in two. It isn't fair to any of us."

He narrowed his eyes in angry speculation. "This where you're gonna give me the 'it's better if I leave' and the 'you'll find someone else' speech cause if you are then I don't wanna hear it, because I call bullshit," he snarled into her face.

Her eyes widened, jumping a bit in surprise as he brushed his thumbs gently across her cheeks. "I don't give a shit if half your heart is all I get," he growled fervently. "Because even having half your heart is a hell of a lot more that I deserve."

He traced the scar across her cheek -his scar- the physical manifestation of his violence towards her emblazoned forever into her flesh. "I never thought I deserved you, hell, I still don't, but I always wanted you anyway. You always made me better; believed that I could be better than I was. And after what I had done to you," he shook his head, "I didn't think I would ever have even a small piece of your heart let alone half of it."

"Raphael-"

"No!" he snapped. "I messed things up with you by punching you in the face. You could have lost your eye. Hell, I could have killed you!" his voice broke miserably. "I promised myself that I would do anything to make you happy. I would leave you the hell alone and never see you again if that's what you needed to be happy again." He dropped his hands to her shoulders and pulled her away from the wall, wrapping her in his arms and clutching her close as he gazed down into her blue-green eyes. "I would let you date my younger brother because I saw how damn happy he made you, and I could only hope that you were half as happy with me as you were with him." He stroked the scar across her cheek again. "I would do anything for you if it made you happy, and if I make you happy now, then I ain't gonna let you go, not over this." He swallowed roughly, leaning into kiss her.

"Stop!" she shouted, shoving him away and slapping him hard across the face, the crack of flesh striking flesh reverberated around the room.

Shocked, he blinked down into her furious blue-green eyes, his cheek burning hotly and tingling with the sting of the slap.

"Don't you dare," she hissed angrily. "Don't you dare think that a piece of my heart is all you are worthy of having. You deserve to be loved wholly and completely and so does Donatello. But I can't give either of you what you need, want or deserve, so I will walk away and hope that someone else will be able to love-"

He growled, angrily shoving her back up against the wall hard enough that her words were cut off by the air being forced from her lungs. "I ain't worthy of your love, but that don't mean I ain't gonna fight for it," he snarled into her ear. "Donny may have the other half of your heart, but that don't mean he's gonna have it forever."

She looked at him in confusion. "Raphael, you-"

"Katherine," Raphael bit out in frustration. "Sometimes you talk too damn much and think even more." His voice gentled and lowered. "You just told me that I actually still have a snowball's chance in hell of being with you. You still love me and I ain't gonna let you throw everything away cause you feel guilty or torn. You may still love Donny, but I'm gonna dig, scrape and take back all of those little bits and pieces of your heart that Donny stole, even if it takes me the rest of my damn life to do it."

Her eyes widened in shock, seemingly at a loss for words.

He pressed himself up against her, letting her feel his need and his desire. He buried his hands into her hair, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "I'm going to drive Donny from your mind, your heart and your body," he promised, shifting so that he could claim her delectable trembling lips in a kiss that would wipe her mind of all thoughts of his brother.

She placed a restraining hand on his plastron, turning her head away, avoiding his kiss. She glanced back, searching his gaze for something. "Raphael," she began softly. "You can't-"

"Fight for you?" he asked harshly. "I shoulda fought a hell of a lot harder for you," he asserted angrily. "I don't give a shit what just happened between you and Donny," he told her cupping her cheeks gently with his scarred, calloused hands and kissing her, wearing down her resistance.

He brushed his hands down her sides and back up again, his thumbs gently scraping across her cloth covered nipples. She gasped softly in response. He lifted his head enough so that he could glance at her out of the corner if his eyes. Her eyes were wide and she was biting down hard on her bottom lip. He could hear her heart beating in her chest like a frightened bird and he had to fight back the broad smile of victory that threatened to spread across his face. He nipped at her ear and got a groan in response.

"I promised you that I would never let you leave me again, and I intend to keep that promise," he kissed her tenderly, stroking and teasing her lips until their kiss became frenzied and needy, her fingers threading their way through the twin tails of his mask. "I swear to you, Katherine, I will win back the rest of your heart."

She looked at him, her expression uncertain. "And if you can't?" she asked in a shaky whisper.

"I will, but if I can't, we'll cross that bridge when we get there," he answered softly as his eyes slid closed kissing her, his hands running down her ass, cupping it and lifting her up so that she had no choice but to wrap her legs around his waist; her dress hitching up and over her hips. He pressed into her heat as he devoured her honey sweet lips. He noticed then that there was no barrier between them but his own clothing. He knew Katherine well enough to know that she usually never wore dresses, and when she did, she never went without underwear, which meant that his younger brother had divested her of this flimsy garment.

He squeezed his eyes more tightly together, trying to get the image of his brother with Katherine out of his head, but found that he couldn't. His brother had been -moments before- kissing Katherine senseless, hands roving over every beautiful, tempting curve of her body. Raphael dug his fingers into her ass, eliciting a slight protest from her. He pressed against her warmth and she moaned into his mouth. He pulled away burying his beak in her neck. His brother's scent still lay heavily against her skin and he felt a flare of possessiveness fill him; but it was more than that. He felt the adrenaline pumping, heart hammering, breathless rush of rivalry and competitiveness flow over him. He needed Katherine to cry out his name, have her crave his touch, and be wet with need for him and because of him.

"Do you still want his touch, Katherine?" he whispered into her ear.

She tried to turn her head to look at him, but he wouldn't let her.

He held her pressed against the wall and used one hand to pull down the front of his sweat pants, releasing his hardened length.

"What are you doing?" she hissed, trying to pull away.

"I already told you. I'm gonna drive Donny from your heart, your soul, and your body," he replied in a strained voice, panting slightly with need.

"We can't. Someone could see us, and-"

"Let them see," he murmured between light butterfly kisses. The thought of being caught by one of his brothers was as terrifying as it was exhilarating. The thought of watching Donatello's shocked and jealous face while he slammed Katherine up against the wall and drove himself into her flashed briefly through his mind. He then acknowledged to himself that he had some serious issues, but ones that could be examined later.

Raphael could feel her pulse racing beneath his lips as he trailed kisses down her throat. He shifted. "Raphael-" her protest came out as more of a groan as he rubbed himself against her heat.

"Do you still want Donny, Katherine?" he asked huskily, voice low and sensual.

Her breath hitched in her throat and she quivered slightly, from lust, fear, excitement, anger, he wasn't sure, but he was curious if she was going to answer him. He needed her to answer, though he didn't know why the answer was so important.

"Yes," she answered breathlessly.

"Good," he asserted as he pushed himself into her, stretching her wide enough to accommodate him.

She gasped in pain, nails digging into the well-muscled flesh of his shoulders hard enough to break through skin and draw blood.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly stilling himself for a moment so that she could recover from his sudden and forceful invasion. She had been wet and ready, but he was so damn big and she was so small. And even though he knew he was going to hurt her, he had plunged himself into her without any preparation or foreplay anyway, because he had needed to. A primal need to claim her as his and his alone had risen within his breast; and by sheathing himself completely within her, possessed her.

He kissed her gently revelling in the fact that he was the one who was now slowly sliding himself from her wetness only to drive himself back into her again and again, gradually building that coiling pleasure that burned and thrummed low in both of their bellies. Her focus was now completely and utterly consumed by him. His pace increased as he kissed her passionately, desperately, her fingers again entwined within his mask tails. His lips left hers, lavishing soft, biting, licking kisses, teasingly down her throat until he opened his eyes and noticed the fresh red bite mark, emblazoned upon her shoulder, where her coat had slipped just enough to expose the marred flesh.

_That Bastard_, he thought to himself angrily. Donatello had tried to mark Katherine as his own. He growled under his breath as he felt his body's pleasure coiling tightly, almost pushing him over the edge. He felt Katherine's body tense and he couldn't hold back any longer, his pace increased as he slammed himself into her over and over again until he bit the same shoulder Donatello had, muffling his cry of pleasure as he came.

Panting with spent exertion he pulled his face up and away from her shoulder he kissed her lovingly, pulling himself from her warm depths, and letting her slide back down to the floor. His fingers trailed down her sides, pulling her dress down before adjusting his own clothing.

"Are you okay?" he gently asked her, hoping he hadn't hurt her too badly.

She nodded her eyes still dark with desire but rapidly filling with uncertainty.

"You are mine, Katherine," he whispered to her fiercely, pulling the ring from his pocket and slipping it onto her finger. "Now and forever," he vowed his voice heavy with sated lust as he tried to banish the doubt in her eyes.

She looked at her hand for a moment, the diamond ring sparkling slightly before she looked up at him searchingly; delving into his eyes and soul seeking something. She must have found it because she nodded slowly. "Okay," she whispered.

He placed his forehead against hers for a moment, breathing in a slow breath of relief. She wasn't going to leave him and was still going to marry him. He looked deeply into her eyes, the love she felt for him shinning clearly outwards. He moved kissing her forehead before leaning down and claiming her lips once again. She tasted so good that it was hard to pull away. The smell of sweat, sex and his own musky scent strong upon her skin. In fact, just breathing in her scent now mixed with his own was making him hard again.

"I have to go," Katherine murmured reluctantly as she pulled away. "I've still got some packing to do and Holly is distracting my mom from wondering where I've gone. Now it's my turn since I know Holly wants to see Michelangelo before we go."

Reality slammed back into him as he remembered that Donatello wasn't the only one trying to tear them apart. His mind rapidly flew to their earlier conversation, the one where she had shrugged when he had asked her if she was staying here, or going back to Canada.

"How long do we have until your mother drags you back home?" he asked his voice shaking slightly as he tried to stomp down on the rising anger laced with panic that was trying to consume him.

"I don't know. Mom wanted us to leave tomorrow, but apparently a movie producer is interested in doing a movie about my ordeal on the island, and I guess my mother is seriously entertaining his offer. Normally I would have said 'hell no' to the idea, but it's keeping her busy and off my back, which is what I need right now. In fact, I even managed to get my mom to agree to let me and Holly stay at my uncle's house, rather than having to stay at the penthouse with her."

He breathed out a small sigh of relief when he realized she was just going back to her uncle's house near Hunter, which was still two hours away from New York, but better than two time zones away.

She continued to look at him seriously. "So I don't know when I'll be leaving. My mom doesn't seem to be in a rush to leave anymore, but I still need to fly back to Canada to set up the department for the following school year, since there's not enough time to get it up and running for this year. But I do have a solution," she said as she touched his cheek gently.

"Yeah, what's that?" he grumbled, wondering how the hell he was supposed to win back her heart if she was thousands of miles away. They had done the long distance relationship before, and it had not worked out well.

"Come with me," she said, looking at him earnestly.

Raphael looked at her in shock as his mind tried to process her words. "I can't leave," he protested. "I can't leave my brothers, this city. Kitten, this is my home," he insisted.

"I know, and I'm not saying that it is my only solution, but... just think about it, okay?" She said as her hand dropped to his shoulder. "I think maybe... maybe it would be best if I stayed away from Donatello." She looked down and away. "At least for a while."

Raphael felt his heart clench with a moment of jealous anger, but stomped down on the feeling. Katherine was his, they were going to work things out.

He nodded in agreement before responding to her earlier words. "I'll think about goin' with you, Kitten," he whispered hoarsely, tipping her head up and giving her a slow, loving kiss before he let her go. "I love you," Raphael said as he brushed his thumb across her scarred cheek, the three small words unable to truly express the depths of his feelings for her.

"I love you too, Raphael," she replied before she pulled her hand away from his cheek, turned and walked reluctantly from the lair.

Raphael took in a deep breath, Katherine's flowery scent mixed with his own still hanging pleasantly in the air.

He shook himself and turned, cracking his knuckles.

He needed to go and talk to Donatello, but if he did so right now, his younger brother would not walk away unscathed. And since Raphael was determined not to kill him, he thought it would be best if he waited a while before confronting him.

* * *

**Leonardo** walked past the entrance of the garage and stopped dead in his tracks. For a moment he thought that his eyes were deceiving him. He pulled back in shock, shaking his head in disbelief as he glanced back into the garage again, his eyes falling upon the same scene he had just witnessed. Raphael stood with his carapace facing him, Katherine pressed up against the wall; her legs wrapped around Raphael's waist, arms draped around his neck as Raphael moved into her over and over again, their moans of pleasure filling the garage.

Leonardo stepped back again, the blood rushing through his ears so loudly that he could no longer hear his brother and his lover. He was too shocked to do anything more than just stand there, frozen in place, and unable to act.

"I love you." Raphael said to her, his brother's words managing to seep through the rushing of blood that hummed through his ears.

Leonardo stepped away from the doorway, his shock replaced by both horror and anger. He shook his head in denial at Raphael's betrayal of Donatello.

Leonardo had encountered Katherine as she had entered the lair nearly an hour ago.

He hadn't known quite what emotions to feel as there were too many rolling through him at that moment, but he felt both relieved and disappointed at the same time. He was relieved that she was okay, but disappointed that she was leaving, both Donatello and their family.

Katherine had smiled at him; giving him an understanding look, as if she were able to read his thoughts. She had walked towards him and stepped into him, wrapping her arms around his chest in a comforting hug that he found himself returning.

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Karai," she had whispered softly into his ear as he felt his arms tighten around her by her unexpected embrace and words. He hadn't thought about Karai and their relationship for a few weeks, but in a way he was glad that he hadn't loved Karai. Going through what Donatello and Michelangelo were going through at the moment was too painful to watch let alone endure.

Leonardo had then pulled away and studied Katherine's pale face intently. "Thank you," he said sincerely, because Katherine always had a way of making him feel better.

Katherine had smiled and lightly touched his cheek. "It will be okay, Leonardo"

Leonardo had reached out and touched her cheek, feeling the velvety softness under his fingertips. He had never realized that her skin was so soft. He wondered then if he had ever touched her face in the way he was now, and he realized that he hadn't.

He had shaken himself out of his strange, abstracted thoughts, and stepped back, giving an embarrassed cough. "You and Donny need to talk," he told her softly. The smile she had been wearing fell from her face.

"We will." She gave him a strained smile, face falling into heavy lines of worry as she turned away, walking towards Donatello's room.

Not too long after he had caught a quick glimpse of Katherine leaving Donatello's room. He hadn't gotten a good look at her face, but her hair and clothes had been suspiciously rumpled. He had believed that things between them had been worked out, and maybe they had been, but it was now apparent that Raphael and Katherine had been and still were sneaking around behind Donatello's back.

Leonardo balled his fists together tightly, not even knowing how he was going to break the news to Donatello. But he knew one thing for sure; Raphael was going to pay dearly for what he had done.

* * *

**Okay, you all had to have seen this coming.**

**Thoughts and opinions are welcome:)**


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